Yuma Sun, 2 August 2014

While those infected with HIV or AIDS in Yuma County can still lead long fulfilling lives, the earlier they are diagnosed with the disease, the better the prognosis for their quality of life becomes.

"Do not be afraid" of getting tested, said Martha C. Rodriguez, Yuma County Health Department, HIV Program Medical Case Manager.

"If you are going to have something positive, you'd rather have HIV -- not AIDS -- because AIDS is now a disease. Can you be saved? Absolutely. The problem that folks (we) see with AIDS – they are immune compromised, more so than an HIV-positive person," and are highly susceptible to other diseases such as the flu.

"A common cold could turn into really bad pneumonia." That could lead to hospitalization of the patient, which could potentially expose them to even more potentially deadly bacterial or viral strains, she noted. "Early detection is crucial."

According to statistics cited by Rodriguez, the number of patients who tested positive for HIV or AIDS in Yuma County decreased slightly from 2012 to 2013. In 2012, there were six new HIV cases confirmed and six new AIDS cases confirmed -- an average of about 6 per 100,000 residents. In 2013, there were two new HIV cases confirmed and three new AIDS cases confirmed.

"In 2013, you can say it went down, but we will see what 2014 brings us," Rodriguez said.

Although testing positive for HIV/AIDS "is a life-changer," it is no longer necessarily considered a terminal disease, Rodriguez continued.

"Folks living with HIV/AIDS do have a hard life, but that goes with any chronic illness such as diabetes (or) renal failure. There is obviously a process of taking care of yourself, getting tested, getting your proper lab work and adhering to treatment, but you can live a normal life regardless. Folks are living 30, 40, 50 years now with HIV. It is a lifestyle change, if nothing else. But then again, so is obesity."

When the HIV/AIDS epidemic took America by storm more than three decades ago, adequate medical treatment was non-existent. That is no longer the case.

"Treatment is very, very much advanced," Rodriguez said, adding it is essential for patients to be compliant with the regimen of medications their doctor prescribes. "Your body will build resistance to medication that you stop and start" repeatedly. "Once you become resistant to that medication, you can no longer take it. You really have to adhere to your treatment."

But to receive the life-saving medications, a person must first be diagnosed with the disease. As such, Rodriguez encourages Yuma residents to be screened for HIV/AIDS on a regular basis, noting counseling and testing services are available on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Yuma County Health Department Building, 2200 W 28th Street.

The test costs $10. However, no one will be denied testing for inability to pay. All tests are confidential and screening will be conducted to meet state guidelines. For an appointment, call 317-4540.

Rodriguez emphasized that getting tested is not just important for high risk individuals such as those who use intravenous drugs or those who have unprotected sex with multiple partners.

"Statistics show... that one out of five of the population can be positive, and they don't even know it," she said. "Some people we have tested who come in" didn't have any symptoms. "You don't need to be sick in order to be positive. That is a misconception."

The testing process at the health department is done quickly, Rodriguez said, noting results are available in as little as 15 minutes.

To perform the test, a medical technician pricks a finger of the patient and dabs the blood on a small device, which is similar to an over-the-counter pregnancy test.

"The results will either be reactive or non-reactive," Rodriguez said, adding the test is about 97 percent accurate. "There could be -- for whatever reason -- a false reading, (but) that is not usual. However, it does happen."

If the test is positive, the attending nurse draws blood from the person's arm and sends the sample to a state lab for confirmation.

"The confirmatory test does take approximately seven working days to get the result back," Rodriguez noted.

If a person is confirmed to be positive for the disease at the state lab, they may qualify for treatment and support services at no cost, depending on their income and insurance status.

"Once we get the confirmatory test back from the state... then we call them in for an appointment, at which time we let them know their final results," Rodriguez said.

If the person is indeed positive, "we offer them Ryan White services," Rodriguez continued. "That entails us being your case manager, and we send you to a doctor's appointment, a lab appointment" and inform the patient where to access pharmaceutical care.

"Once the patient is put on medication, we then connect them with a program at the state level, which is called the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)."

ADAP helps alleviate the financial hardship on patients who depend on the expensive drugs, Rodriguez explained.

While the disease may not be the death sentence it once was, it is better not to contract it in the first place, said Marco Garcia, Yuma County Health Department, HIV Program Medical Case Manager.

Garcia encourages residents to restrain from unprotected sex of any type, limit the number of partners a person is physically intimate with, and refrain from the use of intravenous drugs or the sharing of tattoo or body piercing needles.

He also encourages residents to educate themselves about the disease in order to differentiate between myth and fact.

And In addition to helping the person identify and avoid risky behaviors, learning the facts could also help dispel the stigma commonly associated with HIV/AIDS patients.

"Most people feel that they don't need to be educated until they are infected, which means most people, when they hear somebody has AIDS – they want to run away from them," Garcia said. "They don't want to sit next to them, they don't want to shake their hands. A lot of people are just not educated" about the disease.

By Chris McDaniel

Source: Yuma Sun