Red and Alive 2007

DHIVERSE, the HIV and sexual health charity, is calling on everyone to be more aware of their sexual health this World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day falls on the 1st December and the charity has launched the biggest ever regional sexual health awareness campaign, RedandAlive.com.

Latest figures from the Health Protection Agency announced for World AIDS Day show that approximately 7,800 people were diagnosed with HIV in the UK in 2006. This brings the total number of adults with HIV to approximately 73,000. Approximately 7% of these diagnoses occurred in the East of England in 2006. As many as a third of people with HIV are undiagnosed, and do not know that they are HIV positive.

The latest figures show that the UK HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately affect particular groups especially gay and bisexual men; and African communities, although heterosexual transmissions of HIV occurring within the UK have been steadily increasing.

Of all the regions in the UK, the East of England has seen the largest proportionate increase in the number of HIV positive residents accessing HIV care rising from 464 people in 1997 to 3,295 in 2006. This represents a 610% increase. In the East of England the annual number of new HIV diagnoses has increased from 73 per year in 1997 to more than 520 in 2006. This is the largest numerical increase in new diagnoses outside of London.

Younger people (aged 16 to 25) accounted for a majority of new cases of other sexually transmitted infections. Younger adults made up about 65% of Chlamydia infections, and more than half of new cases of genital warts. 1 in 10 young people screened through the NHS Chlamydia screening programme are currently testing positive. If Chlamydia is not diagnosed and treated it can cause infertility in both men and women.

The Red and Alive Campaign which was launched in October and has seen more than 20,000 resources ordered via the website, and through postal orders. There are more than 50 public events planned across the region, as well as many more events planned for schools, workplaces and colleges.

Luke Mallett, DHIVERSE General Manager said “Yet again we have seen a continuing trend of increasing numbers of diagnoses across the range of sexually transmitted infections. It is vitally important that we take the opportunity through this campaign to prioritise raising awareness of sexual health and HIV within the general population, and improving relationship and sexual health education for young people.”

“The risks of contracting HIV and sexually transmitted infections can be dramatically reduced through the use of safer sex, it is critical that messages about safer sex reach groups, such as gay and bisexual men, most affected by HIV. It is also important that we tackle the stigma that surround HIV and sexual health, and encourage people, to access testing and treatment services if they have had unprotected sex.”

DHIVERSE would encourage anyone concerned about HIV or their sexually health to contact the charity, or their local sexual health clinic, in confidence. Details of all clinics can be found on the Red and Alive website, www.redandalive.com , or by calling DHIVERSE on 01223 508805.