AIDS defies stereotypes

By Dan Hilborn
Published Dec. 3, 2003


The number of HIV/AIDS cases in the Fraser Health Authority continues to rise - and it is now affecting people who do not believe they are engaging in any risky behavior.

People who identify themselves as heterosexuals with 'no risk factors' were the second largest group of persons to contract the disease in 2002, said statistics released by the FHA last week.

Since statistics were first compiled in 1995, a total of 790 people in the region have contracted the virus that leads to AIDS.

But of the 103 new cases diagnosed last year, 32 people, the second largest subcategory, claim they have no risk factors whatsoever.

Lydia Drasic, the FHA's director of planning and system health, population health, said the health region is applying for federal funds to help raise awareness of the disease and begin slowing its pace.

"We've seen a small increase (in the number of new HIV cases), but we don't know if this is a blip or if it will continue upwards," Drasic said. "But the big concern is that not only are we seeing an increasing number, but it's spreading to the general, more diverse population.

"Twenty years ago, if you were a gay man or a man who has sex with other men, you would have been considered the top risk and everyone else was fairly safe. Now, what we're seeing is this is moving into other populations.

"We were taken aback," Drasic said. "We didn't think that heterosexual contact without any other risk identified would be our second highest number."

According to the newly released statistics, the largest group to contract the disease in 2002 were intravenous drug users, which had a total of 34 new cases. Heterosexuals who believe they had no other risk factors had 32 new HIV/AIDS cases, while men who have sex with men had 21 new cases. People who admit to frequenting sex trade workers had four new cases, and the 'other' category had 10 new cases.

Drasic said she is currently looking for ways to spread the word about the risk of the disease.

"What we're saying is that this disease is 100 per cent preventable, but it's not curable and the cost for treatment is very high," she said.

Rather than conducting more studies, Drasic is applying for federal funds to start a new information awareness program. "I'm a believer that we've done a lot of studies and we've got a lot of information, but what we need to do is put some action in place," she said.

Last month, the health authority brought together 35 community groups from throughout the region to learn about the new statistics and begin drafting an action plan.

"Fraser Health is second only to Vancouver in its number of new infections and the number of residents living with HIV/AIDS," FHA CEO Bob Smith told the forum. "We are also the only health authority in B.C. that does not have community based federal funding for HIV/ AIDS services."

In fact, a 57-page report on HIV/AIDS in the region, notes that of the 790 FHA residents who have the disease, only 556 were participating in the HIV drug therapy program co-ordinated through the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

The report also finds that the rate of HIV infection is "much higher" among the FHA's aboriginal population than in other ethnic groups, and that up to one-third of HIV-positive people are unaware that they have the disease. Health officials also believe it is likely that another 35 residents became infected with HIV/AIDS last year, but are still unaware they have it and are a high risk of passing the virus to others.

Bill Engleson, director of prevention services for the Purpose Society, said his group tries to get the word out about the dangers of the disease, but it's not easy.

While Engleson is pleased to hear the region will be applying for federal funds to fight AIDS, he said the public has to get on board and recognize that everyone is at risk, not just drug users or people with particular sex habits.

"There is a lot of resistance out there. There are a lot of people with the blinders on," he said. "The health region has a lot of skills in this department, but it is still an administrative body of a huge corporation that only responds to significant pressure.

"But HIV/AIDS is something that a lot of people would prefer to think doesn't affect them. The disease doesn't discriminate. While there are still high risk behaviours, the simple act of intercourse without protection now places anybody in that high risk category. People are only as safe as their last partner."