World AIDS Day was designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as December 1st , and this has been in place every year since 1988. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and honoring those who have lost their lives to this disease. Government and health officials throughout the world observe this day and take it as an opportunity to educate others on AIDS prevention and control. Each year we honor a different theme—the 2017 theme is “Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships.”
Tria Health would like to take this opportunity to educate you on a few HIV and AIDS related items.
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, if not treated. While no effective cure currently exists, with proper medical care, HIV can be managed and controlled. AIDS is the final, and most serious stage of the HIV virus. HIV attacks the body’s immune system. Untreated, HIV makes a person more likely to get other infections or infection-related cancers.
The challenge—not all patients are adherent to their treatment or medication regimen.
The medicine used to treat HIV is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. If taken the right way, every day, this medicine can dramatically prolong the lives of many people infected with HIV, keep them healthy, and greatly lower their chance of infecting others. Before the introduction of ART in the mid-1990s, people with HIV could progress to AIDS in just a few years. Today, someone diagnosed with HIV and treated before the disease is far advanced can live nearly as long as someone who does not have HIV.
According to a study done by University of California, adherence to ART across a group of patients was only 70%. “Only 6% of patients took their medications at the optimal level for durable virologic and clinical success”. Improving adherence improves health outcomes.
Here at Tria Health, that is precisely what our pharmacists do for ALL patients. We help patients understand all their medications, and the importance of adherence—and we make recommendations to improve their adherence to treatment so we can improve their clinical outcomes. This is not possible without physically talking with the patients and understanding their barriers. It is for this reason that Tria Health appreciates this year’s theme, “Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships.” Tria Health is honored to partner with our clients to assist them in helping their employees feel better by holding them accountable to their clinical health outcomes.
As we approach World AIDS Day on December 1st, please take an opportunity to learn more by visiting https://www.hiv.gov/.
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