Question
What is the expected life span of somebody who is HIV positive?
11 January 2008. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term.
What is the expected life span for hiv-positive person?
Answer
This is a difficult question to answer, as the expected life span of any person is a calculation of many factors. Among those are: genetic background, socio-economic state, life-style, diet, chronic conditions, job circumstances, level of risk exposure and many more.
The calculation for the HIV positive people does not differ much. Of course, things like the long-terms effect of the virus as well as drug toxicities are taken into account. Some of the mathematical models that I have seen, say that the expected life span of somebody who starts on medications now and uses only the currently existing medications, is between 30 to 45 years from the point of initiation of therapy.
Needless to say that newer and better medications appear almost every year, which gives additional hopes to people living with HIV.
Information and links to recent studies on this subject are in the answer to this earlier question.
Last, but not least, how long anyone lives depends on things you can change (smoking, exercise, medication) and thing you can’t (genetics. and good and bad luck!). These things can happen to all of us – regardless of HIV status.
Hi Anuarag,
If a person doesn’t use ARVs, then yes their lifespan is very likely to be shorter. This is because their HIV won’t be being controlled. Being pregnant won’t influence this. But if you’re pregnant and positive its important to be on medication.
Has women shorter life span with hiv without any treatment especially when she got delivery or pregnancy.
Hi Dion,
Drug pricing varies across countries, and even from one clinic to the next. In some countries drugs are provided free in government clinics. Unfortunately I don’t have information about pricing in the Phillipines. For this information it would be better to contact a local organisation.
has any of you guys know the average cost of HIV meds here in the Philippines ?
Although there is not a cure yet, and this is likely to be some way off, there is a lot of research happening in this area. Please see this similar question for more information.