|
True
or False?
Are the
following statements true or false? See how many you can get right.
1. HIV only
affects homosexuals.
2. The
spread of HIV can be prevented.
3. HIV is
spread through casual contact.
4. Everyone
who is sexually active or shooting drugs is at risk for HIV.
5. If you
only have unprotected sex once, you're not at risk.
6. One in
four HIV infections occur in youth between the ages of 15-24.
7.
Abstinence from sex and drugs is not the best way to protect yourself from HIV.
8. Sensual
massage is a safe alternative to unprotected sex.
9. Condoms
help reduce the risk of getting HIV.
10. My
friends and I cannot get HIV.
Spread the
word, not HIV/AIDS. Tell your partners, friends, and family the facts about HIV
and how to reduce their risk of getting HIV. Stop ignorance and fear through
education.
Answers:
1. F 2. T
3. F 4. T 5. F 6. T 7. F 8. T 9. T 10. F
What
is HIV?
HIV is the
virus that causes AIDS. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.
"Human" means that it infects people and not other animals like dogs
or cats. "Immunodeficiency" means it attacks the immune system, the
natural defense mechanism that protects our bodies against disease and
infection. "Virus" means it is a microscopic organism that can only
grow and reproduce with the aid of the cells it infects. HIV is a blood borne
virus that infects cells of the immune system. HIV uses cells of your immune
system to grow. When HIV has used one of these cells to grow, the cell can no
longer function effectively, leaving your body without a part of its immune
system.
Who
gets HIV?
HIV was
first seen in the United States primarily in gay males. Although gay men are
still a high percentage of those infected with HIV, it is now in every
community. In Pierce County:
• 31% are
people of color
• 13% are
women
• 27% are
young people 20-29 years of age
• 40%
were in poverty prior to diagnosis
The point
is that anyone engaging in high risk behaviors is at risk for exposure to HIV.
HIV/AIDS does not discriminate it sees no boundaries to its destruction.
How
could I get HIV?
HIV spreads
through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk from infected people.
People get HIV from contact with these fluids. Therefore, there are four general
modes of transmission of HIV:
1. Unprotected
Sex. Since HIV can live in both semen and vaginal fluids, it can get into
your or your partner's bloodstream through small tears in the lining of the
vagina, rectum, penis, or mouth. Getting any of these fluids in your system can
be dangerous and risk transmission of the virus.
2. Blood
Contact or Shooting Drugs.
Because HIV is a blood borne virus, any contact with blood is risky if there is
a chance of it entering your system; therefore, sharing works or doing anything
else that risks blood-blood contact is very risky. Every time a syringe is used
by a person infected with HIV a small amount of blood is left in the syringe. If
it its then used by someone else, without being cleaned, the virus will be
directly injected into the bloodstream. Also, getting blood on an open sore or
cut can risk transmission of HIV.
3.
Mother to Child. HIV can
pass from a mother to her infant while either in the womb, during birth, or
during nursing after birth.
HIV is not
spread through everyday contact, hugging, kissing, using the same toilet, or
bug bites.
How
can I protect myself?
The most
important thing to know about HIV/AIDS is that it is preventable. If you abstain
from IV drug use and sex, you are virtually at no risk for transmission of HIV;
otherwise, follow the following easy risk reduction practices to decrease your
chances of HIV transmission:
•
Avoid unsafe sex. Many
of the things that feel good are safe because no blood, semen, or vaginal
secretions get into the body. This includes hugging, kissing, fantasizing,
masturbation, and massage.
• Use
latex condoms. Unless
you are 100% sure your partner is not infected with HIV, reduce your risk by
using a latex condom (rubber) from start to finish every time you have sex.
• Use
spermicides. Spermicides
found in birth control foams, jellies, and lubricants are best used along with
condoms, not in place of them.
• Use
only water-based lubricants.
Lubricants conaining oil, like Vaseline(R) petroleum jelly, can damage a condom
and cause it to break.
•
Never share needles. If
you shoot drugs, seek help to stop. If you must share, clean your needle.
•
Don't mix alcohol or other drugs with sex. They
might cloud your judgment and lead to unsafe sex.
•
Don't share sex toys.
They have body fluids and possibly blood on them.
• Get
tested. If you have ever
done IV drugs or had unprotected sex, get testing and counseling; then you can
have peace of mind.
Community
Resources
Pierce
County AIDS Foundation
(253) 383-2565
AIDS
Prevention Partnership
(253) 383-3452
Syringe
Exchange
(Pt. Defiance AIDS Project)
(253) 272-4789
Tacoma
Urban League
(253) 383-3006
OASIS
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth Support Center
(253) 534-3204
POCAAN
People of Color Against AIDS Network
(253) 272-2577
Washington
State AIDS Hotline
1-800-272-2437
Tacoma-Pierce
County Health Department
(253) 798-6060
|
