Most Canadians don’t know a person with HIV can't sexually transmit virus if taking proper medication: survey
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Only one in five Canadians are aware that a person with HIV can't sexually transmit the disease if they are taking the proper medication, according to a new survey that suggests Canadians still have a long way to go in understanding the medical and social realities of HIV.
Only one in five Canadians are aware that a person with HIV can’t sexually transmit the disease if they are taking the proper medication, according to a new survey that suggests Canadians still have a long way to go in understanding the medical and social realities of HIV.
The survey, conducted by the U.K.-based market research company Opinium Research and commissioned by pharmaceutical company ViiV Healthcare, assessed responses from 1,000 Canadians to get a picture of their grasp on how HIV spreads and how much stigma those with HIV are still facing.
Numerous medications are approved in Canada for HIV treatment, several of which are manufactured by ViiV Healthcare.
While 72 per cent of respondents correctly identified that HIV can be contracted by anyone, the survey indicated that large gaps still exist in general knowledge regarding HIV.
A quarter of participants stated that they believe HIV can be transmitted through kissing — which it can’t — while more than half of Canadians incorrectly believed that a pregnant person taking effective treatment for HIV can still pass the virus to their baby.
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, transmitted through contact with certain fluids, including sexual fluids, blood and breastmilk. Although there is no cure, current treatment can allow those with HIV to live a full life. Without treatment, HIV can progress to AIDS, the most severe stage of HIV infection. According to the World Health Organization, 650,000 people died of HIV-related illnesses in 2021 worldwide.
As of 2020, there were more than 62,000 Canadians living with HIV, according to a Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) estimate.
