A study has revealed that approximately 35 percent of Filipinos believe individuals living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are “forever contagious.”

“Trends in Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceptions about HIV among Filipinos During and After the Covid-19 Pandemic” highlighted findings on HIV awareness, its public program reach, and the persistent misconceptions in the country.

Researchers observed that while respondents generally possessed “reasonable knowledge about HIV,” persistent misconceptions and stigma remained, underscoring the need for ongoing education and advocacy.

“Persistent misconceptions that increased from the first to the second survey included beliefs that people living with HIV (PLHIV) will be forever contagious to others,” said the researchers, whose study was published in Acta Medica Philippina, the National Health Science Journal of the University of the Philippines Manila.

Other misconceptions were that PLHIVs “need to be quarantined” and “have no right to an intimate relationship.”

While there is no cure for HIV, access to its effective prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care has transformed HIV infection into a manageable chronic health condition, enabling PLHIV to lead long and healthy lives.

An HIV infection is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART), which inhibits viral replication. Although current ART does not cure HIV, it strengthens the immune system, helping PLHIVs fight other infections.

“ART lowers the viral load in a person’s body, preventing symptoms and enabling people to live full and healthy lives,” said the World Health Organization (WHO).

“People living with HIV who are taking ART and have an undetectable viral load will not transmit the virus to their sexual partners,” WHO said.

Pregnant women with HIV should access and adhere to ART as early as possible to protect their health and prevent HIV transmission to the fetus during pregnancy or through breast milk.

Missed target

Social media and television were identified as the primary sources of information on HIV. Knowledge regarding HIV transmission and prevention “increased post-pandemic,” particularly on preventive measures like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and mother-to-child transmission (MTCT).

The researchers noted improvements in knowledge about PrEP and awareness of MTCT.

“Despite improvements in knowledge, the Philippines has yet to achieve global HIV awareness. Recent advancements in HIV prevention and treatment are essential for curbing the epidemic and improving public health outcomes nationwide,” they said.

The Philippines failed to meet the 2020 United Nations target of ensuring that at least 90 percent of the population had knowledge of and access to a range of HIV prevention options, including PrEP, voluntary medical male circumcision, harm reduction and condoms.

“The survey indicated some progress in HIV knowledge among our younger population. National program data, however, highlighted that the country remains behind in achieving global HIV prevention goals,” the researchers noted.

While public awareness about HIV has significantly improved in the Philippines, persistent misconceptions and myths necessitate a continued and diversified approach to education and advocacy.

“Moreover, it is imperative to increase public awareness about recent breakthroughs in achieving an undetectable viral load and lowering the risk of HIV transmission, to improve HIV prevention and treatment throughout the Philippines,” the researchers said.

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

The African continent remains the most severely affected with 3.4 percent of adults living with HIV, accounting for over two-thirds of PLHIVs worldwide.

The Asia Pacific region has the world’s second-largest HIV population, with an estimated 6.7 million PLHIVs in 2023. There were 150,000 AIDS-related deaths and 300,000 new infections in the region that year, equating to one new infection every two minutes.

215K cases

In the Philippines, there were over 215,000 HIV cases by the end of 2024, according to the Department of Health.

There was a 411-percent increase in HIV cases in the Philippines from 2012 to 2023, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The report also noted that young people are driving the surge in HIV cases, with those under 35 accounting for over 75 percent of reported cases. Sexual contact remains the leading mode of transmission.

Other modes of transmission include sharing infected needles and blood/blood product exposure through needles.

Of the new infections in the youth, 96 percent occurred in males, with 83 percent occurring in men who have sex with other men.