A study conducted by Tangere (Acquisition Apps Inc.) has warned of “a troubling rise in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases across the country with daily infections increasing from nine cases in 2012 to 50 cases in 2023.”
The groundbreaking study titled “Trends in Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceptions about HIV among Filipinos During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic” was conducted by Dr. Glyzelle Anne Lagason in collaboration the TB-HIV Innovations and Clinical Research Foundation of the Makati Medical Center and Tangere.
“Despite intensified efforts to raise public awareness and provide access to treatment, persistent misinformation and social stigma continue to pose challenges to effective prevention and care,” the study said.
Post-pandemic data indicated a significant improvement in understanding prevention methods, it said, adding “awareness of key prevention strategies improved in 2020 and 2922.”
The research, leveraging Tangere’s digital survey platform, analyzed responses from 6,500 participants across two survey periods in 2020 and 2022.
The study showed 89% of the respondents knew HIV testingis accessible compared to 78% in 2020, while awareness of local treatment hubs rose to 83% from 70%.
