The AIDS epidemic continues to spread worldwide. In industrialized countries, it appears to have stabilized, and its impact has transformed thanks to prevention programs and, above all, to treatments. The treatments available since 1996 have significantly slowed the progression of the disease and reduced mortality among those affected (including people infected with the virus, whether symptomatic or not). Although the constraints have lessened, antiretroviral treatments still lead to significant side effects, require strong adherence to be effective, and their long-term outcomes remain uncertain. Despite the substantial increase in survival, these treatments do not eliminate the virus, and those infected still experience higher mortality rates compared to others in the same age group. Living with HIV in France today still requires people to make adjustments in terms of employment, finances, relationships, sexuality, and family planning.
Thanks to a survey conducted in 2003 (the Vespa survey, see Box 1), there is now a better understanding of this population and the adaptations they face in various areas of life. Seven out of ten people living with HIV are men, and one in two lives in the Île-de-France or Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions.
It is estimated that around 100,000 people live with HIV/AIDS in metropolitan France. They are unevenly distributed across the metropolitan territory. The Île-de-France region, which accounts for only 19% of the metropolitan population, contains 43% of those affected, and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is also disproportionately represented