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HIV - Test Your Knowledge |
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HIV Health
AIDS is a serious infectious disease AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS.
This virus may be passed from one person to another when infected blood, semen,
or vaginal secretions come in contact with an uninfected person's broken skin
or mucous membranes. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their
baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People
with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Some of these people will develop
AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. Over time, infection with HIV can
weaken the immune system to the point that the system has difficulty fighting
off certain infections. These types of infections are known as opportunistic
infections. Many of the infections that cause problems or that can be life
threatening for people with AIDS are usually controlled by a healthy immune
system. The immune system of a person with AIDS has weakened to the point that
medical intervention may be necessary to prevent or treat serious illness.
There is no cure for HIV or AIDS. However, there are medicines that fight HIV
and help people with HIV and AIDS live longer, healthier lives.
AIDS is a global pandemic, worldwide over 30 million people are living with
AIDS. The estimated number of people living with HIV infection in the U.S. in
2006 was 1,106,400. In the same year over 14,000 people died of AIDS in
America.
AIDS in America Today is a Black Disease -- No matter what lens you use-gender,
sexual orientation, age, socio-economic class, level of education or region of
the country where you live-Black people bear the brunt of the AIDS Phill
Wilson, Black AIDS Institute
Black people are 13% of the U.S. population, yet are:
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50% of the estimated 1.1 million Americans living with HIV/AIDS
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50% of the new cases
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40% of the new cases among men
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60% of the new cases among women
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63% of the new cases among infants
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70% of the new cases among teens and adolescents
Black Americans are more likely to become infected; more likely to be diagnosed
at a later stage, and more likely to die from AIDS. Black Americans were
infected at a rate seven times that of whites in 2006. Black women were
infected at a rate almost 15 times that of their white counterparts. African
Americans are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage. People who are
diagnosed late in the course of HIV infection have a much poorer prognosis than
individuals whose HIV diagnosis is timelier.
Black Youth and HIV/AIDS--Although Black teens (aged 13-19) represent only 16%
of U.S. teenagers, they account for 70% of new AIDS cases reported in 2006.
For black men, the most common ways of getting HIV are:
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Having unprotected sex with another man who has HIV
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Sharing injection drug works (like needles or syringes) with someone who has
HIV
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Having unprotected sex with a woman who has HIV
For black women, the most common ways of getting HIV are:
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Having unprotected sex with a man who has HIV
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Sharing injection drug works (like needles or syringes) with someone who has
HIV
HIV is not transmitted through shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You
cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a doorknob,
dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets.
The only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV
infection. You can't rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected
with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV don't have any symptoms at all
for many years. Similarly, you can't rely on symptoms to establish that a
person has AIDS. The symptoms associated with AIDS are similar to the symptoms
of many other diseases. AIDS is a diagnosis made by a doctor based on specific
criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Black Community must mobilize to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
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Host a town hall meeting on the impact of HIV/AIDS in the Black community
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Hand out condoms with fact sheets about AIDS
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Develop a directory of AIDS & HIV resources and distribute it in your
community
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Volunteer at an HIV organization in your community
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Write your local political and community leaders and urge them to support
treatment and testing resources necessary to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in
Black America
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