NAPWA

INTRODUCTION

LIVING WITH HIV TODAY
The picture of HIV care and treatment has changed dramatically since HIV first emerged thirty years ago. Today we have important new scientific information about HIV that is changing the picture of HIV treatment for those already infected and providing new ways to help prevent transmission to others.

Before effective HIV treatments became available in the late 1990s, people with HIV could expect declining health and to live only around ten to twelve years after becoming infected. Today, we know much more about HIV and we have potent and well-tolerated treatments, with the result that many more Australians with HIV are living longer and enjoying better health. Indeed, life expectancy for HIV positive people is now approaching that of the rest of the population.

The experience of living with HIV is different for each HIV positive person. For people newly diagnosed with HIV, adjusting to being HIV positive can be a stressful time.

Some people find HIV has a serious impact on their health and wellbeing. But many
others maintain good health and are living full and active lives.

With better knowledge and better treatments, today’s focus is on keeping people with HIV well not just over years, but decades. This requires careful planning as HIV and its treatment often complicates general health management and vice versa. Also, as people with HIV grow older, they face the same health issues associated with ageing as the general population, so these issues also need to be addressed.

HIV AND HEALTH

MAKING THE BEST CHOICES
Making decisions about health and treatment can be challenging, especially when living with a serious illness like HIV. Some people say they would rather leave the decision making to their doctor or to others. However, NAPWHA recommends you take an active role in your health decision-making, because experience has shown that health outcomes are better if treatment and care is planned in a partnership between patients and their doctors.

USING THIS GUIDE
NAPWHA has produced this guide to help HIV positive Australians make the best
decisions they can about their health, care and treatment. The guide is based on the latest information about treating HIV.

This guide gives you a checklist of issues to work through with your doctor to help your health care and treatment planning. This will be useful for example when seeing a doctor about your HIV for the first time or when your doctor is preparing or updating your health care plan. NAPWHA recommends that all people with HIV should have a health care plan that is updated at least annually.

This guide lists the main tests and health checks that HIV-positive people should
expect to receive as part of comprehensive health care. Support and information
services to help with long-term living with HIV are also described.

The checklist is designed for all people with HIV. However, there are some additional issues listed for people recently infected with HIV and those with advanced HIV infection to consider.

Most of the terms in this guide are self-explanatory. However, some laboratory testsand health checks may need explaining by your doctor. There is a glossary at the end of this guide to help.

Most importantly, we hope that this guide will encourage HIV positive people to work in partnership with their doctor to produce a clear, comprehensive health care plan for living well with HIV.

Attached below is a PDF of A CHECKLIST GUIDE FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV.

It is also available in hard copy from the NAPWHA office, contact admin@napwa.org.au

First published 2008
Revised 2012
DESIGN: STEVIE BEE DESIGN

Table of contents