A revolution in the treatment of HIV in the last ten years means a positive diagnosis is no longer a death sentence.

This was one of the key messages at the unveiling yesterday of the first in-depth study of HIV and AIDS across the Bradford district.

The report, Being Positive in Bradford – an Analysis of the Social Support Needs of People Affected by HIV/AIDs in the Bradford District, was written by consultant Hazel Bone and commissioned by Bradford Council’s Adult and Community Services.

Miss Bone was one of the key speakers at the Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford, where she welcomed the opportunity to raise the profile of HIV/AIDS and bring people together who were passionate about improving services and reducing stigma and exclusion.

The report gives detailed analysis of who is affected by HIV and AIDS in the Bradford district, existing services, social support needs of people affected by HIV and future services.

The number of people accessing care for HIV in the district has been rising steadily and between 2003 and 2007 cases rose from 132 to 290, bucking a national picture of a slowdown.

There are now about 450 people accessing services, which is expected to rise to 550 by 2012, although the actual figure could be well in excess of 700 cases locally, with an estimated 30 per cent of people remain undiagnosed.

Black African cases outnumber the number of white people with HIV by a ratio of two to one. Black Africans with HIV are mainly students or people with work visas, but also includes newly-arrived relatives, asylum seekers and refugees, as well as people born in this country.

There is an almost equal gender split, with most aged between 25 and 44, with just six cases in people under the age of 19.

The main route of infection is heterosexual sex, although a significant proportion is also men having sex with men.

Yesterday’s event was also addressed by Baroness Gould, chairman of the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV and patron of Yorkshire MESMAC, an organisation which provides social support for people affected by HIV and AIDS.

She said: “I am pleased to be in Bradford and support this document. It is a unique report in its detail and it is great congratulations to Bradford.

“What is crucial is identifying need, if you don’t know what the problem is you can’t come up with solutions.”

The final speaker was a young woman, diagnosed as HIV only six days before her 21st birthday, six years ago. She said: “Positive speaking is something that I am passionate about. I want to make people more aware of HIV. I have younger sisters and I know how easy it was for me to contract it.”