AIDS & HIV

In honor of Worlds Aids day (which was December 1^st) and those impacted by AIDS, I decided to share some information about the prevalence and prevention of AIDS. According to Aids United there are an estimated 1.2 million people in the US with AIDS, and 1 in 7 people who have it are unaware that they are HIV positive.

Newly affected has remained at about 50,000 each year. African Americans make up 44% of new HIV infections and 41% of people living with HIV.

One huge thing that must be done is getting tested. When you know your status you will be able to get help to manage this syndrome and you will not unknowingly spread it to others.

Reducing your risk:

• Know your status and that of your partner
• Use condoms
• Don’t inject drugs, if you do use sterile equipment
• Talk to your healthcare provider about PrEP

What is PrEP?

PrEP is the use of anti-HIV medication by those who do not have HIV for prevention. Truvada is the first and only drug approved by the FDA and it has been shown to decrease infection risk by up to 92% when used consistently. The CDC published guidelines for its use in 2014. It is an option for heterosexual people, those involved in homosexual sex and injection drug users. Living with this disease is becoming more manageable, but prevention is the best option for those who are currently negative for HIV.

Great sources for those looking for more information on this topic are the CDC, NIH, and organizations that do AIDS outreach etc such as Aids United listed above.

-XOXO