Outdated attitudes are contributing to a rise in cases of HIV across Kent, according to a new study.

More people are diagnosed with HIV each year across the county, with half of people testing positive in the later stages of the disease.

Doctors are concerned as late diagnosis means sufferers are more likely to pass the disease on and have less chance of long-term survival.

Dr Stephen O’Connor from Canterbury Christ Church University said: “The variety of people affected by HIV has changed dramatically since the virus first appeared.

"The study showed that GPs often fail to consider HIV as a possible cause for HIV related health problems and positively discourage some from having an HIV test"- Dr O'Connor

“More heterosexuals were diagnosed with HIV in Kent than men who have sex with men.

“More worrying is the fact that heterosexuals, both male and female, are more likely to be diagnosed later with HIV than members of the better informed gay community, often because they, and many healthcare professionals, still associate HIV with gay men, intravenous drug users and sex workers.

"The study showed that GPs sometimes fail to consider HIV as a possible cause for HIV related health problems and positively discourage some from having an HIV test at the appropriate time because of these outdated and misinformed assumptions.”

Dr O’Connor’s study is part of a European-funded project investigating HIV prevalence and late diagnosis.

It found there has been a consistent increase in the diagnosis of HIV among people aged 15 to 59-years-old in Kent, with about 80 new cases each year.

Of these, half were diagnosed in the later stages of the disease.

The worrying trend has prompted Kent County Council and a variety of Kent health organisations to launch a campaign to encourage people to get tested under the banner “It’s better to know”.

The campaign, supported by kmfm, also aims to change perceptions among healthcare professionals.

Dr Faiza Khan, KCC public health consultant, said: “HIV hasn’t gone away. It’s there. You can’t get cured but there are treatments out there that can give people an almost normal life expectancy.”

“Simply put, people with HIV are more likely to pass it on and infect someone else if they are unaware they themselves are infected.

“Late diagnosis also reduces the chances of controlling the effects of HIV on the body. Early diagnosis is, therefore, vital if we are to control the spread of the infection and to give those living with HIV the best quality of life possible.”

The campaign will see a The Blue Bus touring the county in November with a team trained to test for and discuss HIV.

They will offer 60 second HIV tests to anyone who think they might be at risk.

The bus will be visiting most of the county’s large towns, but Dr O’Connor’s study found the highest rates of HIV diagnosis are in Ashford, Medway, Thanet, Gravesend and Dartford.

He said the reasons for this are not always clear, and more research was needed particularly in Ashford and Thanet.

The proximity of Gravesend, Dartford and Medway to London could also be a factor according to Dr O’Connor.

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