Inaction hobbles AIDS fight

On the observance of World AIDS Day, we are mindful of tremendous advances in the development of HIV treatments, tests and the understanding of the virus that causes AIDS.

Even with that knowledge, far too many people shun HIV tests. More inexplicable are the full third of the people who undergo traditional HIV tests but do not return to get the results.

They rob themselves of the benefit of early treatment of HIV, which has been found to be very effective in slowing the progression of the virus if patients are diagnosed early enough. They deny themselves and potential partners the opportunity to take steps to prevent spread of the disease.

While many people think of HIV as an African or Asian problem, HIV has claimed a half million Americans lives since its detection in the United States more than 20 years ago. There is still no known cure. The number of people diagnosed with HIV in 29 states increased more than 5 percent between 1999 and 2002, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Marked increases among Latinos and gay and bi-sexual men as well as African Americans, who continue to be disproportionately affected, accounted for more than half of the new diagnoses.

The nation's public health officers must enhance their efforts toward health education and risk reduction. People most at risk need to be tested and commit to ongoing testing. This is critical considering CDC numbers suggest that the majority of new HIV infections in the United States are passed on by people unaware of their status. Research does show, however, that people who learn they are HIV-positive usually take steps to protect their partners.

That alone requires that Americans strive to overcome the stigma of HIV and AIDS. We can only assume why people do not seek tests, though common sense suggests that some people doubt that their families, friends and other support networks can deal with the disease openly and compassionately.

We do know that some 40,000 Americans acquired an infection that is 100 percent preventable. Some people, incredibly, have little knowledge about AIDS and HIV. Others who are fully informed of the dangers continue to engage in risky behaviors such as unprotected sex or sharing needles used for intravenous drug use.

Although there has been some progress as a result of public health education efforts, a surprising number of young people don't follow the advice that abstinence is the only foolproof method of preventing the transmission of the HIV virus. Instead, they literally gamble with their lives and those of others.

Unfortunately, gains in knowledge and important medical advances can do little to help people who don't know or want to acknowledge they may be infected. More must be done to convince people at risk that testing remains one of the most important means of addressing HIV in the United States and around the globe.