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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus which can cause AIDS.

You can catch HIV if you:

  • share needles and syringes;
     
  • have unprotected sex; and through
     
  • unsterile tattooing, body piercing and acupuncture.

HIV attacks the body’s immune system and can leave people unable to fight off infections.

There is no vaccine that can stop you catching HIV - the only protection is to not share fits and not have unprotected sex.

If you have been at risk of catching HIV, having a blood test will help you make informed decisions about your health, lifestyle and treatment options. If you find out you have HIV you can take steps to reduce its impact on your health and prevent harm to yourself and others.

If you are HIV positive, understanding HIV and what it can do can be important in helping you make informed choices about your health and life. There are many support and information services that you can contact if you would like to know more about HIV.

In Queensland, for further information on HIV/AIDS contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on (07) 3236 2414 or regional freecall on 1800 177 833.

Below is the information the briefing paper gives to pharmacists to support the text on the calendar card.
It will hopefully be of interest both to professionals and injecting drug users.

Only a small percentage (less than 1%) of Queensland’s injectors have HIV. However, this could change quickly if there was a reduction in the supply of needles and syringes and a resultant increase in the sharing of injecting equipment. HIV is a continuing threat and it is important that we continue to raise awareness of the disease and its transmission.

Testing
Testing for HIV is a simple blood test. To find out where IDUs in your area can be tested, ring ADIS (Alcohol and Drug Information Service) on regional Freecall 1800 177 833.

Encouraging people who may have been at risk to get tested can be a life-saving intervention as early treatment makes a huge difference to prognosis.

Prognosis
Prognosis for those with HIV has improved greatly over the years, but IDUs need careful medical management as co-infection with hep C, and continued compromise of their immune system through injecting illicit drugs, reduces survival times.

Treatment
There are excellent HIV treatment services in Queensland and treatment can greatly extend life expectancy and improve quality of life.

Of course adherence to the treatment regime is central to its success and this is an area in which the community pharmacist has a vital role to play.

Key intervention points
Clearly this is a sensitive issue to raise in the community pharmacy setting, but for those customers you have a good relationship with, asking questions like:

“what did you think of this month’s card?”

“have you ever had an HIV test?”; or

“do you ever worry about HIV?”

might trigger a useful conversation.

The key points to get across in a discussion about HIV are that:

  • even occasional sharing is a risk;
     
  • having the blood test can help people to make informed decisions about their health,
    lifestyle, and treatment options; and
     
  • treatments have improved over recent years.

Further reading
Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations. (2001). HIV Tests and Treatments: Information and advice to help you make decisions. Canberra: AFAO.

Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases. (2000b). National HIV/AIDS Strategy 1999 - 2000 to 2003-2004: Changes and Challenges. Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research. (1999). HIV/AIDS and Related Diseases in Australia: Annual Surveillance Report. Sydney: NCHECR.

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