Quality of life among people living with HIV in Australia
HIV Futures is the largest and longest-running study of people living with HIV in Australia. Running since 1997, the study involves periodic surveys of Australians living with HIV. In 2022, the survey now includes people who have now been living with HIV for up to 40 years, as well as people diagnosed very recently, in the past five years or less.
The findings from HIV Futures show that, for the most part, people living with HIV are doing well and living healthy, productive and happy lives. However, despite significant medical advances that now mean HIV cannot be sexually transmitted by people on treatment (i.e., undetectable = untransmissible, or U=U), HIV continues to be a highly stigmatised condition. This has a significant effect on people’s lives and leaves some people to withdraw socially or experience loneliness and poor mental health.
HIV Futures demonstrates that people living with HIV both need and deserve ongoing and multifaceted support, access to services that are affirming of their needs, and opportunities to have meaningful social connections to cope with, and challenge, the negative impact of stigma that often accompanies living with HIV.
