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OVER THE PAST 12 years, there has been an increase in the rate of new cases of HIV in older people in Ireland.
A European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) study has found that rates of the infection have increased in 16 countries in Europe and decreased in only one – Portugal.
Researchers believe this may point to a low level of awareness among people aged 50 and over of HIV and how it is transmitted, which in turns leads to misconceptions and an incorrect perception of their own risk.
Between 2004 and 2015, the rate of diagnosis in older people in Ireland increased by 5.4% (from 1.41 new cases per 100,000 to 3.33).
The other European countries where the disease increased for older people are Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the UK.
In Europe, almost half (47%) of all newly reported HIV diagnoses are made at a late stage of infection for people of all ages.
The study, which was published in The Lancet HIV journal, found that older people (aged 50 or older) were more likely than younger people (aged 15-49) to be diagnosed with advanced HIV disease, and acquire HIV through heterosexual sexual contact.
‘HIV epidemic evolving’
In 2015 around one in six (17%) of new cases of HIV diagnosed in Europe are among people aged over 50.
Rates were highest in Estonia, Latvia, Malta and Portugal (7.50, 7.17, 7,15 and 6.0 new cases per 100,000 older people, respectively).
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) lead author Dr Lara Tavoschi said:
Our findings suggest a new direction in which the HIV epidemic is evolving. This potentially is a result of older people’s low awareness of HIV and how it is transmitted, leading to misconceptions and low perception of their own risk.
“This perception of older people not being at risk is shared by some healthcare providers, and HIV-related services focus more on younger people. Our study shows the need to ensure all ages are appropriately targeted by sexual health services.”
The study includes all new cases of HIV in the European Economic Area (the 28 countries of the European Union, and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) between 2004 and 2015.
During this time 54,102 people over the age of 50 were diagnosed with HIV, compared to 312,501 cases in people aged 15-49 years.
The study showed that among younger people, rates of HIV infection decreased significantly in six countries (Austria, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the UK), and increased significantly in 12 countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia) between 2004 and 2015.
The mode of infection varied for older and younger people over time, with infection through sex between men increasing in both age groups between 2004-2015, while cases due to heterosexual sex reduced in younger people and remained stable in older people.
Cases attributable to injecting drug use also reduced in younger people but increased in older people.
Dr Tavoschi said: “Our findings illustrate a clear need to provide comprehensive HIV prevention programmes, including education, access to condoms, better testing opportunities, and treatment, targeted towards older adults across Europe.
“We need to make both healthcare workers and the general population aware of this issue to reduce stigma and inform people about HIV risks and prevention methods.
Testing in healthcare settings and innovative HIV test approaches – such as self-testing – need to be more easily accessible to older people to improve early diagnosis and fast-track treatment initiation.
“When achieved, this should help to prevent further transmission and lower the risk of severe health complications, which is of utmost importance among older adults living with HIV as their risk of mortality is higher as compared to younger individuals.”
The authors note that delays in some countries’ reporting may mean that not all cases were included in the 2015 figures. As a result, these figures are likely to increase slightly in future years. For this reason, increasing trends are likely underestimated and decreasing ones may be overestimated.
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The question is, do the force and public have confidence in her? Is she credible? She seems to me to be a lame duck, clinging onto the job rather than developing it and carving out the role badly needed of instilling public confidence in the role of commissioner.
I can’t see how she can possibly do that when so many questions remain, and so many doubts.
@Mr Snuffleupagus: I don’t know about the force but from my perception public confidence in her and the gardai is approaching rock bottom. Trust is very low because there simply isn’t a positive visible presence in the country. Officers discretion is being visibly abused because of a lack of resources, the most noticable gardaí are traffic corps clocking speeds on stretches of road with no history of speed related acidents, and the constant pleas of ignorance from garda HQ relating to the pressuring of whistleblowers is getting old fast. whether they were aware or not, they haven’t been seen to mount any sort of credible response, and from the outside they do not have a competent image
O’Sullivan was not only aware of but implicated in the campaign to discredit the whistleblower Maurice McCabe:
“Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan claimed Sgt Maurice McCabe was motivated by “malice” when he highlighted malpractice in the force, documents from the O’Higgins Commission of Inquiry show.
At the very early stages, the inquiry was told by senior counsel for Ms O’Sullivan that evidence would be produced to show that Sgt McCabe had told two other officers that he was making his complaints because of malice he harboured towards a senior officer.
The inquiry was informed that the two officers had taken notes at the meeting in question and prepared a report which was forwarded to a senior officer.
However, a few days after the submission, Sgt McCabe informed Mr O’Higgins he had a tape recording of the meeting in question.
The commission took possession of the recording and arranged for a transcript to be created.
Mr O’Higgins indicated that the transcript coincided precisely with Sgt McCabe’s version of events and was in conflict with the allegation that he had told the two officers he was motivated by malice.”
@Mr Snuffleupagus: the entire interview seemed scripted, all stock answers and many could not be discussed “due to ongoing legal..bla bla”
Lost for words, shes on a different planet
“My mother always told me I’d have a wonderful pensionable job.” I stopped at that.
Exactly.
Any private company and she wouldn’t last p-i-s-sing time.
Avoids the question, old school, aggressive, secretive, cowardly, spineless, autocratic, sneaky, liar why aren’t others calling her out.
She is literally shocking at her job as in brutal
‘I’m not aware of any campaign to discredit any individual’
Of course, not and why should you. You have no idea what’s going on in your police force.
@Shakka1244: noirin o’malice knows exactly what is going on
When are they going to give the Garda Ombudsman proper powers to investigate these boys (and girls).
Heard the interview and it was the worst that I have ever heard from Sean O Rourke..hard questions were not asked and I would say her mandarins sent in all the pre-requisites before she agreed to take part
@cormac o neill: Heard the interview too and thought it was a very biased and one sided from Seán O’Rourke . When he is dealing with many establishment figures he fails to ask hard questions, the ones that people are talking about or indeed have been the subject of much discussion.
He allowed her to gloss over Maurice McCabe and whistleblowers and ignored so many of the other controversies Noirin has been involved in. He mentioned Callinan and allowed her to explain away the passing of the note whilst ignoring the constant prompts from her during that appearance at PAComm. It was nothing but a PR exercise from SOR and RTE. Public Service broadcaster. No shouting and barracking from Seán just reverence.
@cormac o neill: she would not have agreed to an interview, unless the questions had been pre determined. Essentially access is traded for soft soap, pet questions. In effect an hour or PR for the commissioner . not real journalism.
The whole top management strata of the Gardai needs to be removed en mass before any change will occur. The force has a stench of corruption, and is now a political movtivated force, rather than one that upholds, and enforces law.
The Gardai should not be available for hire as a private security force for an offshore billionaire, neither should they be seen as revenue collectors., nor simply as an arm of the government to enforce compliance.
There is very little faith in her and the political interference seems rife. We the public are being thrown a few crumbs to keep us happy. A few checkpoints here & there and the odd mass checkpoint in an area But still drink driving is going on , shootings , robberies , stabbings , antisocial behaviour etc. When criminals are eventually caught we read about multiple convictions , known to garda etc. The justice system needs to be culled to get rid of the stagnant one’s that are holding it back. These criminals should not be able to move without being harassed and followed. They should be locked up every time they step out of line. 10 year mandatory sentence for carrying a gun or a knife and life if either are used. 5 year mandatory ban for drink driving and 10 years imprisonment with a 20 year ban for causing death . We need to see enforcement from the judges down. This is not a garda bashing post.
“It takes great courage to speak up. It’s a responsibility and a right that we all have. Those who have spoken up have done a service to An Garda Síochána.” – I think she is a blatant liar, just like her boss Frances Fitzgerald, and just like her boss, Enda Kenny.
Who you trying to kid?? If you had your way every whistle blower would be in jail or worse. You knew all about Maurice McCabe and the campaign against him and more. Your a disgrace to the uniform you wear
Public have no confidence,too many unanswered questions.
Agreed. She’s remarkably poor at her job
Says she while wondering why her nose is growing longer!
She could always get as job as another spokesperson for Trump, she would teach Kellyanne Conway a thing or two with her different reality!
Get her out!!!
Noirin O’ Sullivan’s appointment was a disaster for the Garda Force. Things will not get any better until she gets the boot. The sooner that happens the sooner some progress can be made in restoring public confidence in the entire Garda Force.
I think the state missed a wonderful opportunity for a new start in the force when they appointed O’Sullivan.. They should have appointed somebody from an outside police force..
@Stephen Duffy: the state knows exactly what it is doing
This woman is the right person for the job. Let’s be honest it’s a dirty job somebody’s got to do it. She has spent her time in the trenches so she knows how the streets works. Give her the tools she’ll break the backs of criminals
@Steven Hillert: She’s not on the street anymore and she doesn’t have the tools. The whole problem is of management and resource allocation, not will. She has failed in her role
Run Forest Run. Sarcasm passed you right by.
The age of “Trumpism” has truly arrived in Ireland . When “disgraceful ” means ,that
he (Maurice McCabe) was really a wonderful human being !!
“But listen, these are alternative facts!!’
Pinocchio!
A very large number of people talking off the top of their heads hers, most know nothing at all about the Gardai, except to try to run them down all the time, and ye think that ye know everything. I am not her greatest fan, not for any reason to do with Garda work. I did meet her a few times and she has a great delivery of speech, and can answer smartly. Just give her some respect and let her carryon her reforms as she says she is doing. We will await the learned Judge’s report and if that is unfavourable, then she will resign, but I think she will be in the clear.
@Eugene Comaskey: “I am not her greatest fan”
second greatest then?
@Eugene Comaskey: The judges report will all depend on how much is in the brown envelope he gets.
@patientpNibbler; Ah, I suppose you know more than everyone else.
@Derek Poutch; maybe we would be better off if there wasn’t so much cynicism around. Why is there always someone like you talking about brown envelopes and backhanders. Will you for Gods sake cop on.
@Eugene Comaskey: Sorry for upsetting you Eugene but the truth hurts. Politics is corrupt, lots of business people are corrupt, justice system is corrupt, its people like you who turn a blind eye to it has the country the way it is. Your dead right I,m cynical,been constantly lied to by Kenny and his cohorts, one law for the rich another for the poor. The way the country is run for the benefit of the few to the detriment of the majority. I hope there will be always someone around to speak out against these self serving b—tards who continue to inflict misery on the Irish people.
Derek, the truth does not hurt me, I’m too well used to the likes of you talking Bullsiht . You imagine that everyone around you are crooks , why do you bring Judges into that catogery, yes, there has been politicians that were not great, but give some credit to some.
@Eugene Comaskey: eugene –> your turnip cart is here
@Eugene Comaskey: Why do I bring Judges into it? Open your bloody eyes for gods sake, only the other day 2 people were arrested for contempt of court. These 2 people were not even in the court ,they were outside in the street. Your problem is Eugene you believe everything the party tells you while the likes of me has gone out into the big bad world and seen first hand the injustices and the inequality thats going on in Ireland.
No I don’t believe everything anyone tells me, I’ve a mind of my own. In fact I am known for disagreeing and objecting quite a lot, and I am in the Big World for a long time now, and I earned my living there and paid loads of Taxes and PRSI. I believe that you are one those with a large chip on your shoulder, a follower of the left, the Communists, and anti everything gang.
@Eugene Comaskey: No Eugene I to have worked all my adult life 35 years in fact till I was made redundant a year ago. I too paid my taxes, prsi and usc. Truth be told I had not much interest in politics but the last 10 years has opened my eyes to the so called democracy we have in this country. This country is run by the biggest liars, chancers and corrupt individuals I have ever seen. You say you disagree and object a lot but with who? You come on here are defend these parasites and slag of the people who are trying to stand up to these chancers. Open your eyes, talk to people, the truth is out there Eugene.
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