Study finds 60% of HIV patients face delayed diagnosis

Lucknow: A recent study reveals that a staggering 60% of individuals diagnosed with HIV receive medical attention only after their immune systems have been significantly compromised. These findings, published in the Journal of the Indian Medical Association in May, stem from a two-year investigation conducted at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) by a team of researchers led by Dr Amit Kumar, Prof Anupam Das, and Prof Manodeep Sen. The study examined 402 newly diagnosed HIV-positive adults who visited the institute’s antiretroviral therapy (ART) centre between January 2021 and July 2022.

The research team discovered that 59.7% of the patients (240 individuals) presented with a CD4 count below 350 cells/µl, a critical threshold indicating a weakened immune system. Furthermore, 35.1% of the patients had CD4 counts below 200 cells/µl, placing them at an even higher risk of infections. The researchers emphasize that delayed diagnosis remains one of the most significant obstacles in combating HIV, underscoring the urgent need for more robust early screening programs to enhance the effectiveness of India’s "test and treat" strategy in preventing illness and fatalities.

Young adults aged 18 to 29 years comprised the largest group of newly diagnosed patients, accounting for 40.8% of the cases. Men constituted 73.4% of the patients, highlighting the disproportionate impact on the male population. Married individuals made up 61.2% of the cases. Heterosexual contact was identified as the most prevalent mode of transmission, accounting for 47% of the infections, followed by injection drug use at 17.9%. In 22.1% of the cases, the source of infection remained undetermined.

The study also revealed a notable rural skew, with 58% of the patients hailing from rural areas. Among these patients, 61.4% sought medical treatment only after their CD4 count dropped below 350 cells/µl. Additionally, the educational attainment among many patients was found to be low. Nearly one-third of the patients had only completed primary education, while 21.9% were illiterate.