Hiv By Age And Gender
Because HIV is mainly transmitted through sex, the disease is more prevalent in younger populations that tend to be more sexually active than older populations.
According to statistics from the CDC, 70% of new infections occur in people between the ages of 13 and 44. The majority is seen in adults 2534, among whom 13,712 new infections were reported in 2019.
But, age alone doesn’t clearly reflect the dynamics of HIV in the United States. A person’s biological sex also plays a role in determining who is at greater or lesser risk of infection.
Although the rate of HIV in males is 5 times greater than that of females, most of those infections were in MSM.
Myths And Facts About Hiv/aids
The human immunodeficiency virus , is a virus that attacks the cells of the immune system, causing an alteration or cancellation of its functioning, that is, it makes it unable to fight infections and diseases that attack the body.When it reaches a more advanced stage, it is known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and can take between 2 to 15 years to manifest if not treated in time.
Since its appearance in 1981, HIV/AIDS has been one of the biggest public health problems, claiming more than 32 million lives.
According to a UNAIDS report, stigma and discrimination can be barriers to eradicating the virus.Here are some myths and truths that exist around HIV.
Fact: There Is No Vaccine To Prevent Hiv
Right now we do not have a vaccine to prevent HIV. Vaccines are the best way to prevent diseases you can get from other people, like the measles, mumps, or polio. Researchers have been working for more than 20 years to develop a safe and effective vaccine against HIV.
HIV is a complicated virus that changes over time. This makes vaccine research difficult, and it takes a long time to do the research. Researchers are closer to developing a vaccine to prevent HIV and a vaccine to treat HIV and AIDS.5
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You Can’t Get Lifesaving Drugs Without Insurance
Myth. There are government programs, nonprofit groups, and some pharmaceutical companies that may help cover the cost of drugs that treat HIV and AIDS. But be aware: These drug “cocktails” can cost $10,000 a year or more. Talk to your local HIV and AIDS service organization to learn about financial help.
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Facts About Hiv/aids Everyone Should Know
Learning the truth about HIV and AIDS can help prevent transmission and save lives beginning with your own.
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Contracting the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, is no longer seen as a death sentence in developed countries, which have the resources to treat it. Still, millions of people around the world contract HIV and die of the last stage of the viruss infection: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , an estimated 1.1 million Americans over the age of 13 were living with HIV at the end of 2014.
There are a lot of reasons why people need to know about HIV/AIDS, from determining whether they are at risk themselves to even how to speak sensitively to someone who has the disease, says Steven Santiago, MD, the chief medical officer of Care Resource, a nonprofit HIV/AIDS organization in South Florida. Here are 10 facts that you should know.
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Causes Of Hiv Infection
It’s a fragile virus and does not survive outside the body for long.
HIV cannot be transmitted through sweat, urine or saliva.
Other ways of getting HIV include:
- sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment
- transmission from mother to baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding
The chance of getting HIV through oral sex is very low and will be dependent on many things, such as whether you receive or give oral sex and the oral hygiene of the person giving the oral sex.
Where Is It Widespread
HIV is spread throught the world, but Sub-Saharan Africa has the greatest number of people who are infected. The World Health Organization and the United Nations’ UNAIDS office estimate that more than a third of adults are infected with HIV in some areas of Africa. There are many case of HIV in South and Southeastern Asia. The numbers of people who have HIV in Eastern Europe are growing because of injection drug use.
There are two main types of the virus: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-2 is most commonly found in West Africa, although places in other parts of the world are seeing it, too. HIV tests usually look for both kinds.
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Is There Any Treatment Of A Cure For Hiv/aids
Currently, there is no cure for HIV/AIDS. People living with HIV will need lifelong treatment. The best treatments right now are combinations of prescription drugs. These medications include antiviral treatment, protease inhibitors and other drugs that help people who are living with HIV stay healthy. People living with HIV also can stay healthy by doing things like eating properly, exercising and getting enough sleep.
The Global Hiv/aids Epidemic
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of the worlds most serious public health challenges. But there is a global commitment to stopping new HIV infections and ensuring that everyone with HIV has access to HIV treatment.
According to UNAIDS:
Number of People with HIVThere were approximately 38.4 million people across the globe with HIV in 2020. Of these, 36.7 million were adults and 1.7 million were children . In addition, 54% were women and girls.
New HIV InfectionsAn estimated 1.5 million individuals worldwide acquired HIV in 2021, marking a 32% decline in new HIV infections since 2010. New HIV infections, or HIV incidence, refers to the estimated number of people who newly acquired HIV during a given period such as a year, which is different from the number of people diagnosed with HIV during a year. Of these 1.5 million new HIV infections:
- 1.3 million were among adults
- 160,000 were among children
HIV TestingApproximately 85% of people with HIV globally knew their HIV status in 2021. The remaining 15% did not know they had HIV and still needed access to HIV testing services. HIV testing is an essential gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support services.
- 85% knew their HIV status
- 75% were accessing ART
- 68% were virally suppressed
Perinatal TransmissionIn 2021, 81% of pregnant people with HIV had access to ART to prevent transmitting HIV to their babies during pregnancy and childbirth and to protect their own health.
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You Cant Avoid Other Hiv
Myth. People with HIV can get infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, candidiasis, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasmosis. The best way to cut the risk is to take HIV medications. People with advanced HIV infection can prevent some of these infections with specific drugs in addition to antiretroviral therapy. You can lessen exposure to some germs by avoiding undercooked meat, litter boxes, and contaminated water.
Myth : If Im Receiving Treatment I Cant Spread The Hiv Virus
When HIV treatments work well, they can reduce the amount of virus in your blood to a level so low that it doesnt show up in blood tests. Research shows, however, that the virus is still hiding in other areas of the body. It is still essential to practice safe sex so you wont make someone else become HIV-positive.
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Sex Is Safe When Both Partners Have Hiv
Myth. Just because you and your partner both have HIV, it doesn’t mean you should forget about protection when having sex. Using a condom or other latex barrier can help protect you from other sexually transmitted diseases as well as other strains of HIV, which may be resistant to anti-HIV medication. Even if you are being treated and feel well, you might still be able to infect others.
Fact: Hiv And Aids Are Problems In The United States
HIV and AIDS are not problems that exist only in Africa or in other parts of the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1.2 million Americans 13 years and older are living with HIV.1
One in four people living with AIDS in the United States in 2014 was a woman. An estimated 128,778 women have died of AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic in 1981.2
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How Is Hiv Diagnosed
An HIV antibody test, either from a blood sample or an oral sample , can tell whether you have been infected. A negative test result means no HIV antibodies were found. This usually means you are not infected. However, if you engaged in behavior that could spread the virus within three months of having the test, antibodies may not be detectable and you should be re-tested. A positive test result means antibodies to HIV were found. This means you are infected with the virus and can pass HIV to others even if you have no symptoms. You are infected for life. Even if you think you have a low risk for HIV infection, consider getting tested whenever you have a regular medical check-up.
Myth 1: If Me Or My Partner Were Hiv Positive We Could Not Have Children
HIV infected women are fertile and can have children. If mothers and their babies use the correct medication, its possible for HIV-positive women to have HIV-negative babies.
Without using drugs, there is a 30% chance that HIV-infected women will pass the virus onto their babies in the womb, during birth or by breastfeeding. But if the mother and baby, or even just one of them, use short courses of ARVs, mostly nevirapine and AZT, transmission rates are reduced significantly. This treatment is available for free at government clinics and hospitals.
At the time of publication, Mia Malan worked for the Discovery Centre for Health Journalism at Rhodes University.
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What Are The Treatments For Hiv/aids
There is no cure for HIV infection, but it can be treated with medicines. This is called antiretroviral therapy . ART can make HIV infection a manageable chronic condition. It also reduces the risk of spreading the virus to others.
Most people with HIV live long and healthy lives if they get and stay on ART. It’s also important to take care of yourself. Making sure that you have the support you need, living a healthy lifestyle, and getting regular medical care can help you enjoy a better quality of life.
How Many People Living With Hiv Are Accessing Antiretroviral Therapy
As of June 2020, 26 million people a little more than 68% of people with HIV were accessing antiretroviral therapy, according to UNAIDS. Thats an increase from 6.4 million in 2009. In 2019, 85% of pregnant women living with HIV had access to antiretroviral medicines to prevent transmission of HIV to their child.
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Using Safe Injection Practices
Intravenous drug use is a key means of HIV transmission. Sharing needles and other drug equipment can expose a person to HIV and other viruses, such as hepatitis C.
Anyone who injects any drug should do so with a clean, unused needle.
Needle exchange and addiction recovery programs can help reduce the prevalence of HIV.Learn more about needle exchange programs and HIV here.
Its Not Just A Mans Disease
Approximately one-quarter of people with HIV in the United States are female, the CDC reports, and most were exposed to the virus through heterosexual sex. A woman who is pregnant and has HIV/AIDS can pass HIV to her unborn children during pregnancy she can also transmit the virus during childbirth and when breast-feeding, the CDC says.
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How Are Women And Girls Affected By Hiv
HIV and AIDS remain the leading cause of death among women ages 15 to 49. Young women are the left-behind population when it comes to HIV prevention, care, and treatment, according to UNAIDS.
Globally, women and girls accounted for about 48% of all new HIV infections in 2019. Every week, about 5,500 young women ages 15 to 24 years become infected with HIV.
In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls accounted for 59% of all new HIV infections. Young women there are more than twice as likely to acquire HIV as their male peers. Lack of knowledge on how to protect themselves from HIV, gender inequalities including gender-based violence, and stigma are barriers that impact access to available HIV prevention, care, and treatment services for adolescent girls and young women.
Hiv Has A Powerful Opponent
Before 1996, contracting the HIV was basically a death sentence. But then, over the course of the next two decades, a regimen of drugs known as antiretroviral therapy evolved and came into use. This drug regimen helps prevent the virus from replicating and can help keep the infection from causing AIDS, transforming a fatal disease into a manageable one. These drugs have been an amazing scientific advancement, Dr. Santiago says. Most of the people who die nowadays are those who are unaware they have until symptoms become severe. Even people who think they may have been exposed to HIV have options if they act very quickly. The CDC advises you to alert your healthcare provider and start a regimen of ART medicines called post-exposure prophylaxis within 72 hours.
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Beyond The Hope Initiative: We Dare Not Stop
World Visions made much progress in mitigating the impact of HIV on children, as well as women and men. Thanks to the support of the international public health community and the generosity of the American people through USAIDs Presidents Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief , the number of people on lifelong, life-saving antiretroviral therapy has greatly increased. Through PEPFAR, the number of children accessing antiretroviral treatment has more than doubled since 2014 and is now at 1 million annually.
Through World Visions Channels of Hope program, clergy and lay leaders from various faith communities learn about critical issues like gender violence, child protection, and HIV and AIDS. Together, they implement solutions that demonstrate love and caring.
About 220,000 World Visiontrained community health workers throughout Africa play an ongoing role as they work with patients and community leaders to help HIV- and AIDS-affected families.
Efforts focus on helping pregnant women with HIV understand their health status and get the treatment they need. It not only helps them recover their health, but it protects their babies from contracting the disease.
In 2017, World Vision carried out HIV and AIDS work under the Global Fund in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe that benefited more than 845,000 people with programs that:
Is There An Hiv Vaccine
No, though not for lack of trying. There have been at least 40 potential HIV vaccines in human trials, and other trials are being developed.
A major obstacle to developing an HIV vaccine is that it would need to stimulate an immune response, while the immune system especially the lymph glands are the target of the infection, too.
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Early Symptoms Of Hiv
Some people with HIV have no symptoms for months or even years after contracting the virus. Partly because of this, about 13% of people with HIV in the U.S. do not know that they have it.
While a person with no symptoms may be unlikely to seek care, there is still a high risk of transmission. For this reason, experts recommend regular testing so that everyone is aware of their HIV status.
Meanwhile, around two-thirds of people with HIV develop flu-like symptoms around 24 weeks after contracting the virus. These symptoms are collectively called acute retroviral syndrome.
Early symptoms of HIV may include:
One Of The Many Ways States Are Fighting Back Is Through Education Initiatives That Inform A New Generation Of The Threat Of Hiv And The Serious Health Risks It Poses
Throughout the south and in Washington, D.C., local officials and organizations are emphasizing prevention and education, especially among the youth population who have seen their rates of HIV diagnosis double since 2000. Many officials cite the lack of youth education, an incomplete sexual education, and insufficient health care for young people as reasons why HIV cases have spiked.
While there is no instant solution for the HIV/AIDS-related stigma afflicting the United States, there are certain steps we can take to put an end to it, and it starts with knowing the facts.
Whenever AIDS has won, stigma, shame, distrust, discrimination and apathy was on its side, argued Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS, in an 2012 blog post on The Huffington Post.
“Every time AIDS has been defeated, it has been because of trust, openness, dialogue between individuals and communities, family support, human solidarity, and the human perseverance to find new paths and solutions.”
Its time to end HIV/AIDS stigma, and start spreading real news about prevention, detection, and treatment. If the sitting president wont, we will.
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Living With Hiv And Aids
The first documented AIDS case in the United States was in 1981 . Since then, about 35 million people in the world have died from illnesses related to the disease. Millions of children have been orphaned because of it.
Now, combination drug treatments have turned HIV into a long-term infection that you can manage, even if HIV has progressed to AIDS. At the end of 2017, about 37 million people in the world were living with HIV, including about 2 million kids. About 22 million of these persons were receiving these life-saving treatments. When you work closely with your doctors and stick to your treatment plan, you can live a long time and expect a near normal life expectancy.
It can take HIV many years to damage your immune system enough to make you vulnerable to certain diseases, such as a form of skin cancer called Kaposi’s sarcoma. These other “opportunistic infections” are signs that you have AIDS, since people with healthy immune systems rarely get them. The HIV treatments, if taken early, can prevent progression to AIDS.
Because there are drugs you can take for it, some groups of people believe they don’t have to be worried about HIV anymore, even though they’re more likely to get the virus. But treatments don’t change the fact that HIV is a potentially life-threatening illness.
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