The virus was once seen as a death sentence. But life has changed for those diagnosed in the UK – and one of the biggest remaining problems is social attitudes
When Claire Horn went for a sexual health check in April 2005, the last thing she expected was to be diagnosed with HIV. She was 22 and studying for a nursing degree in Leeds, and the check was part of the process for having a contraceptive implant placed in her arm. The diagnosis floored her.
“I probably smoked and drank far too much over the next year,” says Horn, who is now 36. “It wasn’t a good time.” She says she knew a little bit more about HIV than the average person but not enough to allay her fears about its impact on her life. “Did I know that the outlook for somebody in the UK with HIV was as positive as it turns out it is? Probably not.”
Horn spent the year that followed learning as much as she could about the condition. She decided not to let it get in the way of leading a normal life, and has, for the most part, succeeded.