We sat down with Dr. Patrice Marshall and Dr. Eugene Paul Sr. to talk about HIV and it’s current state. While finding the epidemic is continuing to grow within the African American community, we were also able to get insight on how the HIV treatments have evolved. Watch the video above and get a deeper look at HIV today.
Dr. Patrice Marshall, MD
Anyone who is sexually active is at risk for HIV. If you are having unprotected sex you are at risk. Now there are certain forms of sexual practices that put you at greater risk, but anyone who is sexually active can be infected if they are having unprotected sex.
In last 20 years, unfortunately, the epidemic of HIV has actually grown I would say. In the South, in particular, a lot of the perception particularly early on was that HIV was primarily a white male gay disease and so there was never a lot of prevention or education in the black community.
Here in Atlanta unfortunately, the epidemic continues to grow. I think the main thing with the Black-American community is education. There are still a lot of myths about who can get HIV? And about what the difference between HIV and AIDS is? And so the more people we can educate, the more people we can get tested, the sooner we can basically end the spread
Dr. Eugene Paul Sr., MD
I think the solution to the epidemic, we already have the tools and one of the main tools is what we refer to as treatment prevention. If we get everyone treated as viral suppression is the key and of course, being retained in treatment is essential because if you don’t stay in treatment those positive advantages of the antiretrovirals will not be realized and maintained…
Dr. Patrice Marshall, MD
…and then hopefully when the cure is available soon we will be able to cure folks and it will be like any other STD, we identify it and we treat it and you move on with your life.
The importance of getting into treatment early is that a lot of folks who are diagnosed are often lost to follow-up or they don’t remain compliant with treatment and so getting folks tested and started on medication immediately does two things: 1) it prevents the future spread and 2) also it mitigates any disease worsening of conditions because they’re not treated.
Well, I’m very hopeful because as I said, in the late 80s and early 90s, when I began my medical training, I saw the devastating effects of HIV and AIDS and now I see folks who come in who have very few t-cells and we get them started on medication the same day.
Literally, in six to eight weeks, they are virally suppressed, they have improved, they’ve made weight gain, they feel better, their level of energy. And so the medications are very good now and we have very very few side effects. But the key is having people know their status; you have to get tested, you can’t cure people that they don’t know they have.
–GET TESTED. GET INTO TREATMENT.
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