October 25, 2016

HIV: The Long View Initiative Looks at Barriers to Long-Term Health Among PLWHAs

EDGE READ TIME: 4 MIN.

A coalition of leading HIV/AIDS advocacy groups and stakeholder organizations announced the launch of�"HIV: The Long View"�with the release of an evidence-based report that examines the potential implications of future healthcare trends on HIV care and management in�the United States.

Members of the Coalition include the American Academy of HIV Medicine,�Gay Men's�Health Crisis, HealthyWomen, National Council on Aging and National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. In the report, the Coalition recommends several key actions necessary to help improve the outlook for the long-term health of people living with HIV. Gilead Sciences is a partner and sponsor of the initiative.

"HIV is perhaps the most ruthless public health crisis the world has ever faced, and while the most immediate, life-threatening challenges have evolved in developed nations, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the epidemic continues to grow, even in well-resourced areas," said�Kelsey Louie, Chief Executive Officer,�Gay Men's�Health Crisis. "If we are going to meaningfully advance HIV education, prevention, treatment and care, it will be due to multidisciplinary collaborations like�'HIV: The Long View'�that identify and strive to help work through the complex socioeconomic and healthcare factors that currently deny a long-term healthy future to many people living with and at risk for HIV."

The�report is a result of an in-depth research process collaboratively reviewed, scrutinized and translated by the�"HIV: The Long View"�Coalition to determine a potential future state of HIV healthcare in�the United States�over the next two decades. The method allowed the Coalition to develop corresponding calls to action to help HIV stakeholders support the long-term health and well-being of people living with and at risk for HIV, including:

  • Eradicating stigma related to sexual behavior, sexual health and HIV status so that everyone who needs HIV care and counsel about prevention will be comfortable seeking it.
  • Ending the "one size fits all" approach to HIV prevention, treatment and education by tailoring HIV-related efforts to specific at-risk populations whenever possible.
  • Developing pathways to collect more HIV patient data to enhance the body of knowledge about HIV, inform treatment algorithms and ensure people with HIV have every opportunity to benefit from advances in personalized medicine.
  • Educating and empowering every person at risk of and living with HIV to take charge of their prevention and care now to prevent or delay the onset of chronic conditions in the future.
  • Pushing for 100 percent adoption of evidence-based guidelines in every U.S. healthcare practice to ensure access to preventive counseling and care, regular HIV testing and immediate connection and retention in care for those who test positive.

    With early detection and access to ongoing care and treatment, HIV can be a long-term manageable chronic disease for many. "HIV: The Long View"�stresses the importance of advancing the HIV dialogue beyond viral suppression to focus on long-term goals that can help positively impact the health of people living with HIV over time, improve quality of life and reduce morbidity.

    "Today we face huge opportunities that could change healthcare for the better, but we're also encountering issues that will be challenging. Women currently account for 20 percent of all new HIV infections and transgender women have some of the highest rates of new HIV infections," said�Elizabeth Battaglino, RN, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthyWomen. "'HIV: The Long View'�has provided an evidence base to help us set up a long-term vision of care and support for people living with HIV. It's no longer just about prolonging life with HIV; today we must work toward ensuring quality of life for those living with this virus over the long term."

    The Future Foundation (FF), an independent global consumer trends and insight firm, provided the data and research that allowed the�"HIV: The Long View" Coalition to review the overall healthcare trends and evaluate their potential impact on the future of HIV care. The FF's qualitative and quantitative research included a review of published medical literature, a consumer survey deployed in�the United States�and one-on-one interviews with multidisciplinary health care experts.

    "HIV advocacy groups and thought-leaders have a unique and powerful connection to the current realities of living with and preventing HIV. That experience was instrumental to the thoughtful and insightful discussions captured in the�'HIV: The Long View'�report," said�Douglas M. Brooks, MSW, Senior Director, Community Engagement, Gilead Sciences. "The publication of this report is an important milestone toward our shared purpose of helping and encouraging anyone who is living with or at risk for HIV to aim for a healthier future."

    by EDGE

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