STIs are a topic that a lot of people tend to have misconceptions about—I even made
a video last year addressing some of the most common myths. But if there's
one sexually transmitted infection that folks tend to be the most misinformed about, it's HIV.
So today I want to bust some myths and fight the stigma surrounding the human immunodeficiency virus.
Myth #1: HIV and AIDS are the same thing. This is a misconception that makes
a lot of sense because the two are closely related, but there are some important distinctions
between them. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and thus can render a person
more susceptible to other infections and diseases. It's treated with a combination of medications
called antiretroviral therapy that prevents the virus from replicating and lowers the
amount of it inside of the body. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the most advanced
stage of an HIV infection, when the person's immune system is severely damaged and they
either have or are very at risk for specific opportunistic infections. The AIDS stage of
the virus is typically only reached after years without treatment. Myth #2: Having sex
with an HIV-positive person is inherently dangerous. At a recent sex educator conference,
I met a prominent activist and Los Angeles HIV Commissioner who, himself, is negative
for the virus. And he said something that really struck me, which is that, based on
what we know about HIV and in the interest of remaining negative, he only has partners
who are HIV-positive. Now, this may sound counterintuitive, but it actually makes sense.
Multiple wide-scale studies have definitively shown that if a person with HIV is on
treatment and has an undetectable viral load—meaning that the treatment has suppressed the virus
to the point where it no longer even shows up on HIV tests—that person cannot
transmit HIV to anyone else. It is not possible for them to pass on the virus. So in some
situations it may actually be safer to have sex with someone who has HIV and is on treatment
than someone who says they're negative, but who really knows when the
last time they got tested was? Even in situations where a person's virus
is still detectable, there is a lot that can be done to minimize the risk of transmission.
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a medication that, taken daily, can significantly reduce
a person's chances of contracting the virus. And, of course, condoms are a great tool for
protecting against HIV and many other sexually transmitted infections. Myth #3: HIV is a
death sentence. Treatment for HIV has improved dramatically over the past few decades, and
patients on modern treatments are said to have a near-normal life expectancy (though
it should be noted that the subjects of the studies that came to that conclusion were
largely white and living in higher income countries in Europe and North America). We
need to continue to work to increase the accessibility of testing and treatment to people of all
races, locations, and income levels. But collectively, life expectancy for HIV is improving,
and many people with the virus are living long, healthy lives. Myth #4: Cisgender women
and heterosexual people are not at risk for HIV. One of the most prevalent and dangerous
myths about HIV is that it's a "gay disease" and that it's only a problem for the LGBTQ+
community. This is very incorrect. In 2015, sex between men and women accounted for nearly
a quarter of HIV diagnoses in the United States. Women accounted for 19% of diagnoses in the US,
and, of those, 86% were attributed to sex with men. Anybody can get HIV. Certain factors—having
anal sex, having multiple partners, not using condoms—can increase your risk, but there
is no gender or sexuality group that is unaffected by the virus. That is why it's important for
everyone to know the risks, get tested, and take precautions where you can. Myth #5: HIV
isn't a problem anymore. Treatment and prevention have come a long way since the the 1980s,
but we are by no means out of the woods yet. It is still a pandemic. The number of new
infections every year is still high. And the cost of healthcare, as well as rampant HIV
stigma and criminalization, still discourages many people from getting tested, seeking treatment,
or disclosing their status. There is a lot of work left to be done. If you want to learn
more about HIV, I'm going to direct you to TheBody.com, Avert.org, and ACT UP (one of
the oldest direct action advocacy groups for people with AIDS). Do you have any other questions
about this topic? Leave them down in the comments! Thanks for watching, and I'll see you next time!
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét