About 35 percent of individuals believe that people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are "forever contagious," a recent study found.

The study, Trends in Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceptions about HIV among Filipinos During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic, examined HIV awareness, public program reach, and persistent misconceptions among Filipinos.

Researchers noted that while respondents generally had "reasonable knowledge about HIV," stigma and misinformation remained widespread, highlighting the need for continued education and advocacy.

"Persistent misconceptions that increased from the first to the second survey included beliefs that PLHIV (People Living with HIV) will be forever contagious to others," researchers wrote in the study, published by Acta Medica Philippina, the National Health Science Journal of the University of the Philippines Manila.

Other misconceptions included the belief that PLHIVs "need to be quarantined" and that "they have no right to be in an intimate relationship."

While there is no cure for HIV, access to effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care has made it a manageable chronic condition, allowing PLHIVs to lead long and healthy lives.

HIV is treated with antiretroviral drugs, which prevent the virus from replicating in the body. While current antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV, it strengthens the immune system, enabling PLHIVs to fight infections.

"ART lowers the amount of the virus in a person's body. This stops symptoms and allows people to live full and healthy lives," the World Health Organization (WHO) explained.

"People living with HIV who are taking ART and who have no evidence of virus in the blood will not spread the virus to their sexual partners," WHO added.

Meanwhile, pregnant women with HIV are advised to take ART as soon as possible to protect their health and prevent transmission to their child before birth or through breast milk.

Sources of HIV information, awareness

The study identified social media and television as the primary sources of HIV information. Public knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention increased after the pandemic, particularly regarding preventive measures such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and mother-to-child transmission.

Researchers noted improvements in awareness about PrEP and HIV transmission from mother to child. However, they stressed that the Philippines has yet to achieve global standards in HIV awareness, particularly regarding recent advancements in prevention and treatment.

"The Philippines has yet to achieve global HIV awareness, particularly regarding recent advancements in HIV prevention and treatment, are essential for curbing the epidemic and improving public health outcomes nationwide," they said.

The country failed to meet the 2020 United Nations target of ensuring that at least 90 percent of people have knowledge of and access to a range of HIV prevention options, including PrEP, voluntary medical male circumcision, harm reduction, and condom use.

"The survey indicates some progress in HIV knowledge among our younger population; however, national program data highlights that the country remains behind in achieving global HIV prevention goal," researchers stated.

While public awareness has improved, they emphasized that persistent myths and misconceptions necessitate a continued and diversified approach to education and advocacy.

"It is imperative that we increase public awareness about recent important breakthroughs in achieving an undetectable viral load and lowering the risk of HIV transmission, to improve HIV prevention and treatment throughout the Philippines."

HIV in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific

According to WHO, there were 39 million PLHIVs at the end of 2023, with approximately 630,000 HIV-related deaths worldwide that year.

The African region remains the most severely affected, with one in every 30 adults (3.4 percent) living with HIV, accounting for more than two-thirds of PLHIV globally.

Asia-Pacific has the second-largest HIV epidemic, with an estimated 6.7 million PLHIV in 2023. That year, there were 150,000 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related deaths and 300,000 new infections — one every two minutes.

In the Philippines, there were over 215,000 recorded HIV cases by the end of 2024, according to the Department of Health. The country saw a staggering 411 percent increase in HIV cases in 2023 compared to 2012, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The report also highlighted that young people are driving the surge in HIV cases, with individuals under 35 accounting for over 75 percent of cases. Sexual contact remains the leading mode of transmission, followed by the sharing of infected needles and blood exposure through needle sticks.

Among newly reported infections among youth, 96 percent were male, and 83 percent occurred among men who have sex with men (MSM).