 
June 11, 2008
Why Hasn’t HAART Stopped AIDS Deaths?
A feature story in the June 16 issue of New York Magazine,
“Who Still Dies of AIDS, and Why,” probes why people living with HIV in the age of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) continue to die of AIDS-related illness (nymag.com, 6/8).
According to the article, AIDS-related deaths are more frequent today among the many who, often not believing they are at risk, carry the virus for years without getting tested and therefore without knowing their status. By the time they eventually do get tested, they have already progressed to AIDS. What’s more, the story notes, many doctors have failed to address other critical health concerns among their HIV positive patients—believing that they wouldn’t live very long anyway.
The story also cites med side effects and elevated health risks to those trying to cope with the stress of living with the virus: The rate of cigarette smoking among HIV-positive people, for instance, is twice the national average.
Search: HAART, AIDS-related death
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comments 1 - 3 (of 3 total)
Steve, Austin, Tx, 2008-06-15 21:51:52
Another contributor is there is very little education or assistance for HIV+ people. By this I mean, there are few resources for someone who is only HIV+ to use to learn about there disease at that stage. Most of the literature is about AIDS and what happens after you reach AIDS. I have been pos for 5 years and had to start medicine. My CD 4 count was 580, who would have guessed. Would have been nice to know some of the signs, such as the fungus on the eyelids, the thrush, warts, etc.
Steve, Louisville, 2008-06-12 18:02:26
I have been pos for 17yrs now and have high t-cells and undectable, but I still worry daily, when is it going to finally get me? I hope not ever, but what is the percentage of those who beat it and never get AIDS?
Scott, St. Petersburg, FL, 2008-06-11 21:05:54
Not mention in the article but definitely a major problem here in FL is that many county health departments refuse to put patients on meds until they have full blown AIDS, even the patients ask for them. In an effort to save money, the county health departments are endangering lives. Thank you Pasco County! I work for an ASO in St. Pete and deal with the patients other counties have cast aside and all tell the same story.
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