The Downside of Living Longer

The New York Times has an article about the problems many people with HIV have to face due to longevity.

"The virus is under control, and I should be in a state of ecstasy," says a 56-year-old who was found to have AIDS in 1987, "but I can’t even tie my own shoe laces and get up and down the subway stairs."

People with HIV live longer thanks to antiretroviral medication, but that has in itself caused new health problems. Cardiovascular disease, rare forms of cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression make some wonder if the AIDS treatment is worth the price.

Meanwhile, the false perception of HIV as a semi-curable infection has taken root in the gay community. This has resulted in more men engaging in unsafe sex. The number of newly diagnosed Swedish gay men with HIV doubled in 2007. To far too many young men, sex with condom is a no-go. Considering the growing number of HIV-positive people who are healthy but infectious, promoting condom use is vital if we are to be successful in our fight against AIDS.