The 411: HIV
ONLY IN HUMANS! CAN GET SICK FASTER What is HIV? NO CURE Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV ATTACKS your T-cells And uses them to of itself
HIV Progression Acute Infection Stage Clinical Latency Stage Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Unprotected Sex: Oral Vaginal Anal Contaminated Injection Equipment Tattoos Piercings Steroids Drugs Mother-to-Child Pregnancy Childbirth Breastfeeding Transmission Breast Milk Rectal Fluids Blood Bodily Fluids Vaginal Fluids Semen Rare: Occupational Exposure Rare: Blood Transfusion/ Organ Transplant
What do these all have in common? Toilets Kissing Dishware Baptismal Pool Insects Tears Saliva Sweat Urine
Prevention There is no cure for HIV infection but you can protect yourself and others Using latex condoms and dental dams correctly Clean injection equipment Vaccines, treating STIs Being faithful to one partner Educational programs Postponing sex ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) PEP (Post-exposure Prophylaxis) prep (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) ABSTINENCE only 100% way
97% of those infected with HIV will develop antibodies in the first 3 months after infection but in rare cases it can take 6 months (Window Period)
Testing Antibody Screening Test the most common HIV test tests for antibodies your body makes against HIV Conducted in lab or as a rapid test using blood or oral fluid (not saliva) at a testing site Home Sampling (mail in) Home Testing (self-test) HIV Test on phone* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyfae0npdak#t=28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc9xnqsgj4w
Treatment & Care There is NO CURE Starting treatment early reduces likelihood of HIV transmission and delays development of AIDS Requires effort and commitment ART (Antiretroviral Treatment)- medicine that lowers amount of HIV in body (viral loads) PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis)- treatment taken by negative partners or those at high risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection
Take your medicine correctly, lower viral load Strengthened Immune System for resistance to infection Gain support Prevent contact with your body fluids Living with HIV Eat well with nutrition, maintain good body weight Slow HIV/AIDS progression Be open about your status to your partner Try other healthy activities STAY HEALTHY COMMUNICATE AVOID RISKY BEHAVIORS HIV is most certainly not a death sentence More than 1.2 million people in the US are living with HIV, medicine is helping to improve longevity and quality of life If you are living with HIV it is important to make choices that keep you healthy and protect others
Statistics 50,000 the number of people in the US who get infected with HIV each year 1.2 million the number of people in the US living with HIV 14% (1 in 7) percent of people living with HIV who do not know they re infected As a group Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) of all races and ethnicities are most profoundly affected by HIV As a race African Americans account for a higher proportion of: new HIV infections, those living with HIV, and those ever diagnosed with AIDS 44% - the percent of all new HIV infections among adults and adolescents that African Americans account for, considering the smaller size of African Americans in the US population 8 the amount of times higher the rate of new HIV infection by African Americans over that of Whites
African-American Challenges The largest number of people living with HIV African Americans tend to have sex with partners of the same race/ethnicity Lack of awareness of HIV status Missed opportunities to get early medical care and prevent transmission to others Higher rates of other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Significantly increases chances of getting/transmitting HIV Greater socioeconomic issues, higher poverty rate Limitation to quality health care HIV prevention education Have the worse outcomes on the HIV continuum of care Stigma, fear, discrimination, homophobia, and negative perceptions about HIV testing
75% of HIV-infected African Americans aged 13 or older are linked to care, 48% are retained in care, 46% are prescribed antiretroviral therapy, and only 35% are virally suppressed
Discrimination Ryan White Diagnosed at 13 in 1984, blood transfusion for hemophilia Expelled from middle school in Indiana because of infection Shunned and tormented by community, bullet through home window Asked to sit at front or last pew of church US national poster child for HIV/AIDS The Dingle Family Adopted three children from Uganda, one with HIV Their best friends told them they weren t comfortable having play dates anymore child accidents occur, like skinned knees, and they did not want to be around the child who is HIV positive Today Show article May 2014
Discrimination Many at risk for HIV fear discrimination and rejection MORE than infection and may choose not to seek testing Social determinant to health care We need to provide social support to increase: Higher self-esteem A more positive group identity More positive mental health Stand up for people living with HIV/AIDS and speak out against stigma and discrimination; help fight fear, ignorance, and injustice
Shiloh s Action Plan We are fighting to stop the spread of HIV in our communities Educating (ourselves and others) Taking precautions and avoiding risks Encouraging love and support We may not all be infected with HIV, but we, the African American community, are all affected by HIV Rooting Out HIV an educational curriculum training Northern Virginia Clergy Council for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS and Fairfax County Health Department icare is moving from planning to action Youth & Parent Workshop 2015 Teen Peer Educators
HIV/AIDS in the church? The church is the core of the African American community WE MUST DISCUSS HIV/AIDS Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor Romans 13:9&10 We should be concerned about issues of social injustice. Loving others as ourselves means to be actively working to see that their needs are met. Who are you to judge someone else s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:1&4 We should accept all people without passing judgment, even when we don t understand our differences. We are all weak in some areas and strong in others. Differences should not be feared or avoided, but accepted and handled with love. The Bible says we are to accept, listen to, respect others and above all things, love
CARE to Love CARE to Talk CARE to Test CARE to Protect CARE to Stop HIV CARE to End Stigma Thank You & God Bless!