Vital Strategies’ Statement on World AIDS Day: Smoking Cessation Is Central to Improving Life Expectancy Among Many People Living with HIV
Today José Luis Castro, President and CEO of Vital Strategies, issued a statement commemorating World AIDS Day, saying:
“World AIDS Day is an opportunity to mark the tremendous progress we’ve made in our collective struggle against HIV since 1988 – both celebrating the important work we are doing globally in prevention and the medical advances that can empower those living with HIV/AIDS to live long and productive lives. However, we must also be more responsive to emerging evidence around the hurdles and challenges facing the 34 million people who are currently HIV-positive. Further gains can be made in extending the life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS if the public health community acts to reduce health conditions that adversely affect HIV-positive people, particularly smoking-related illness.
“A recent study confirmed that smoking is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV who actively adhere to antiretroviral therapy. This population is more likely to die from a smoking-related disease such as cancer or cardiovascular disease than of the virus itself, with both HIV-positive men and women losing more than six years of life expectancy, on average. In contrast, smoking cessation – even later in life – can contribute toward greater longevity.
“The impact of tobacco use can be even more deadly in low- and middle-income countries, where people living with HIV may not have access to antiretroviral treatment or where there is a higher rate of Tuberculosis/HIV coinfection, further reducing life expectancy. There is a real danger that this burden will only increase as the tobacco industry trains its sights on existing and potential tobacco users in low- and middle-income countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
“While we have made praiseworthy advances in antiretroviral treatment that helps people to obtain undetectable viral loads – preventing the formation of HIV-related illness – tobacco use is endangering that progress. Today, we are calling for action. Healthcare professionals, caregivers, policymakers and advocates must enact targeted strategies to support people in the HIV-positive community to quit smoking, as an urgent priority, and support stronger tobacco control policies more generally. Doing so would prevent needless premature death and illness – a fitting response to a disease that has caused so much heartbreak and destruction around the world.”
About Vital Strategies:
Vital Strategies is a global health organization that seeks to accelerate progress on the world’s most pressing health problems. Our team combines evidence-based strategies with innovation to help develop and implement sound public health policies, manage programs efficiently, strengthen data systems, conduct research, and design strategic communication campaigns for policy and behavior change. To find out more, please visit vstrategystage.wpengine.com or Twitter @VitalStrat.
For further comment on the information included in this statement, please contact Jon Steed, Vital Strategies, at +1.917.710.2846 or jsteed@vitalstrategies.org.