HIV & AIDS FAQ'S & QUIZ
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HIV/AIDS
Quiz
History of AIDS
1981 to 2006
HIV in the UNITED
STATES, why should I care?
Myth versus reality
Preventing
HIV infection
The law and HIV/AIDS
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HIV/AIDS
QUIZ How
Much Do You Know About HIV/AIDS? A. 15% 2. T or F: AIDS is an incurable disease spread mainly by unprotected sex or by sharing needles with someone who has the virus called HIV. 3. T or F: Young Americans between the ages of 13 and 25 are contracting HIV at the rate of 2 per hour. 4. HIV is not present in: A. semen and
vaginal secretions 5. You can become infected with HIV by… A. sharing utensils
or drinking glasses with someone with HIV 6. Which
does not help to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV? 7. If you are infected with HIV, you might show symptoms… A. within a
few months 8. T or F: New HIV/AIDS drug treatment have lowered the number of AIDS- related deaths in the US and enabled people with HIV to live longer. 9. T or F: There are medicines for HIV-positive pregnant women that can greatly decrease the chances of transmitting HIV to their babies. 10. T or F: Only drug users and gay men need to worry about becoming infected. ANSWER: 1.D; 2.T; 3.T; 4.B; 5. E; 6.B; 7.D; 8. T; 9.T; 10.F |
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History
of AIDS 1981 to 2006 1981: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) diagnoses the first cases of AIDS- related diseases among young gay men. 159 1982: The CDC formally establishes the term “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)’ and identifies four risk factors associated with AIDS: male homosexuality, intravenous drug abuse, Haitian origin and hemophilia A. 625 1983: The CDC adds female sexual partners of men with AIDS as the fifth risk group Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is identified as the cause of AIDS. 2,137 1985: Actor Rock Hudson openly states that he has AIDS and dies later in the year. 8,161 After being prohibited from attending school because he has AIDS, Indiana teenager Ryan White advocates against discrimination or stigmata associated with AIDS The Food and Drug Administration approves the first HIV antibody test. HIV screening of blood donations begin in US. 12,652 1986: President Reagan first mentions the word "AIDS" in public. The first panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt is created in San Francisco 1987: The FDA approves the first antiretroviral medication, zidovudine (AZT), as an AIDS treatment. The FDA approves zidovudine (AZT/Retrovir), the first antiviral agent to treat AIDS. At $12,000 a year, it is one of history's most expensive drug therapies. President Reagan makes first public speech about AIDS; establishes Presidential Commission on HIV (Watkins Commission). Entertainer Liberace dies of AIDS. All 1,920 panels of The AIDS Memorial Quilt are displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The World Health Organization (WHO) establishes the Special Program on AIDS, which later becomes the Global Program on AIDS and then UNAIDS. 27.909 1988: WHO declares the first World AIDS Day on December 1. U.S. Surgeon General and CDC mail brochure, “Understanding AIDS” to all U.S. households; first and only national mailing of its kind. First comprehensive needle exchange program (NEP) established in North America in Tacoma, WA. New York City creates first government-funded NEP and San Francisco establishes what becomes largest NEP in the nation. National Institutes of Health (NIH) establishes the Office of AIDS Research (OAR), restructures its AIDS research program, and establishes the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). 62,451 1989: Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe dies of AIDS. After enormous community pressure, AZT manufacturer Burroughs Wellcome lowers the price of the drug by 20%. 70,313 1990: Domestic and international non-governmental groups boycott the 6th International AIDS Conference in San Francisco in protest of the US immigration policy regarding HIV/AIDS status. Ryan White dies at the age of 18. The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act of 1990 is enacted by the U.S. Congress, providing federal funds for community-based care and treatment services. In first year, it is funded at $220.5 million. 1991: Star Basketball player, Earvin “ Magic” Johnson, announces that he is HIV-positive. Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock band Queen, dies of AIDS. Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) Act of 1991 enacted by the U.S. Congress, to provide housing assistance to people living with AIDS through grants to U.S. states and local communities. The red ribbon is introduced as the international symbol of AIDS awareness at the Tony Awards by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Visual AIDS. 158,911 1992: AIDS becomes the leading cause of death among men between the ages of 25 and 44. Zalcitabine (ddC/Hivid) approved for use. Tennis star Arthur Ashe announces that he has AIDS. 200,391 1993: The FDA approves the female condom for sale in the US. World class ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev dies of AIDS. “Angels in America”, Tony Kushner’s play about AIDS, wins the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize. 245,662 1994: AIDS becomes the number one cause of death for all Americans between the ages of 25 to 44. The Public Health Service recommends that HIV-positive pregnant women use AZT to reduce mother-to-child transmission. Stavudine (d4T/Zerit) approved for use. Pedro Zamora, a young gay man living with AIDS, appears in the cast of MTV’s popular show, The Real World; he dies later this year at age 22. 295,339 1995: The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), an organization that oversees the effort of seven UN programs focusing on AIDS, is established. Olympic Gold Medal diver Greg Louganis discloses that he is living with HIV, leading to public debate regarding disclosure of HIV status. First protease inhibitor, saquinavir (Invirase), approved in record time by the U.S. FDA, ushering in new era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Lamivudine (3TC/Epivir) also approved. First guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with HIV issued by CDC. 319,849 1996: The FDA approves the viral load test, which measures the amount of HIV in blood. Elizabeth Glaser, co-founder of the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, dies of AIDS. The number of new AIDS diagnoses declines for the first time in the history of the pandemic. FDA approves HIV urine test and first HIV home testing and collection kit. HIV no longer leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25–44; remains leading cause of death for African Americans in this age group. Evidence of the efficacy of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is presented. 382,261 1997: AIDS-related deaths in the US declines by more than 40% compared to 1996 rates, largely as a result of antiretroviral therapies. FDA approves use of nelfinavir (Viracept) and delavirdine (Rescriptor). 403,206 1998: The Congressional Black Caucus calls on the US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala to declare HIV/AIDS a public health emergency. Drug-resistant strains of HIV appear. The CDC announces the AIDS death rate dropped an incredible 47% from 1996 to 1997. However, the rate of new HIV infections—40,000 a year—is not declining, showing a need for innovative new prevention efforts. FDA approves use of efavirenz (Sustiva) and abacavir (Ziagen). Congress approves $156 million for Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative to address the disproportionate rate of HIV infection in certain racial and ethnic groups. 419,638 1999: US announces $100 million in funding to sub-Saharan Africa and India through the Leadership and Investment in Fighting and Epidemic (LIFE) Initiative. Reggie Williams, founder of the National AIDS Task Force on AIDS Prevention, dies of AIDS. FDA approves use of amprenavir (Agenerase). One-third of new infections in the U.S. occur in women. 430,246 2000: US and UN Security Councils declare HIV/AIDS a security threat. Among gay and bisexual men, AIDS diagnoses among African American and Latino men exceed that of whites for the first time. U.S. Congress reauthorizes the Ryan White CARE Act for the second time. FDA approves use of lopinavir (Kaletra). President Clinton implements the Millennium Vaccine Initiative to develop vaccines fro HIV, TB and malaria.UNAIDS, WHO and other health groups join with pharmaceutical manufacturers to discuss price decreases for AIDS drugs in developing countries. 438,798 2001: The UN General Assembly, under the leadership of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, convenes a special session to discuss HIV/AIDS. 14% of individuals newly infected with HIV already exhibit resistance to at least one anti-HIV medication. FDA approves use of tenofovir (Viread). 2002: The CDC estimates that 850,000–950,000 U.S. residents are living with HIV—¼ of whom are unaware of their infection. The FDA approves a new rapid HIV antibody testing device, OraQuick, a test that is easy to use and produces reliable results in 20 minutes; however, it is only authorized to be administered by certified health care workers. U.S. 2002 TOTAL 2003: FDA approves use of enfuvirtide (T20/Fuzeon), atazanavir (Reyataz), and emtricitabine (FTC/Emtriva). The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation secures price reductions for HIV/AIDS drugs from generic manufacturers, to benefit developing nations. VaxGen reported that its vaccine, AIDSVax, was ineffective overall in a trial of 5,400 participants. S-CAP accepts
its 1,000th client . In January, a CDC analysis of new HIV infections in 29 states that have names-based HIV reporting—not including New York and California—finds that 35% of new HIV infections between 1999 and 2002 resulted from heterosexual sex; of these, 64% were women and 74% were African-American. By the end of the year, the availability of HIV rapid testing expands throughout Colorado 2005: 20 million people die of AIDS worldwide. 2006: S-CAP steps up its prevention efforts targeting schools, local businesses, churches and civic organizations to give people the tools they need to stay HIV-negative. |
WHY
SHOULD WE CARE?
HIV IN THE UNITED STATES
More than a million people in the US are currently living with HIV or
AIDS. Of these, an estimated 333,000 are unaware that they are infected.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, approximately 775,000 people have
been reported to have AIDS, and 450,000 people have died from AIDS. Even
though in the US we have been successful in reducing the mortality rate
of HIV, we have yet to reduce the number of new infections. New HIV infections
were estimated at 40,000 per year in the early 1990’s and have remained
largely at this same level throughout the last decade.
Of great concern at present is the onset of “safe-sex fatigue.” People may be taking fewer precaution to protect themselves from infection for several reasons: the belief that antiretroviral drugs make AIDS a manageable, chronic disease; the attitude that infection with HIV is inevitable; increasing weariness toward maintaining risk-reducing behaviors; and the generational phenomena that younger people did not experience the devastating early days of the pandemic.
Evidence suggests that HIV and AIDS have disproportionately affected women, people of color, and youth in the US.
WOMEN: The number of new HIV infections and AIDS cases is increasing among women in the US. Of all HIV-positive women, 41% reported that they were exposed through heterosexual contact and 20% reported infection through injection drug use. Although the number of AIDS deaths among women has declined 35% between 1993 and 1998, the number of AIDS deaths among men declined 64%. Studies indicate that women are less likely to receive or seek treatment when compared to men because of health care, social, and financial barriers.
MINORITIES: HIV and AIDS have disproportionately affected minority populations, especially African Americans and Hispanics. As of 1999, while African Americans accounted for 37% of all AIDS cases, they represented only 12% of the US population. Furthermore, African Americans and Hispanic women represented 81% of all AIDS cases among American women, yet they accounted for only 25% of the female population in the US. Social and economic conditions, such as language barriers, poverty, substance abuse, and access to health care, contribute to the increasing risk of HIV among minority communities. Religious beliefs and mistrust of the medical community may also inhibit people from seeking health care.
MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN: As of December 2000, 46% of all reported US AIDS cases were transmitted through male –male sex. Young African American men who have sex with men (MSM) are at higher risk of contracting HIV compared to other ethnicities. A recent CDC study of 23-29 year old MSM showed that the new infection rate among African American MSM is 14.7%, compared to 3.5% among Hispanic MSM and 2.5% among white MSM.
The percentage of individuals in the study that were already HIV-positive varied according to ethnicity as well. Among study participants, 32% of African American, 14% of Hispanic, and 7% of white MSM were HIV-positive
Cultural and religious biases that fuel homophobia may act as significant barriers to treating and preventing HIV transmission among MSM.
| MYTH VERSUS REALITY |
| MYTH: HIV or AIDS can be cured. |
| REALITY: Anyone can be susceptible to HIV/AIDS, regardless of their sexual orientation. Everyone is at risk of getting HIV from blood-to-blood contact, sharing needles or unsafe sex. Worldwide, HIV is spread most often through heterosexual contact. |
| MYTH: You can get HIV from breathing the air around an HIV-infected person or from hugging or holding hands with an HIV-infected person. |
| REALITY:
HIV cannot be transmitted through… · Toilet seats or doorknob handles. · Touching, hugging, holding hands, or cheek kissing with an HIV-infected person. · Sharing eating utensils with an HIV-infected person. · Mosquito bites HIV is transmitted through contact with an HIV-positive person’s infected body fluids, such as semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, vaginal fluids, blood, or breast milk. HIV can also be transmitted through needles contaminated with HIV-infected blood, including needles used for injecting drugs, tattooing or body piercing. |
| MYTH: I can get HIV by sharing exercise equipment or playing sports with an HIV-positive person. |
| REALITY: Contact with sweat or tears has never been shown to result in transmission of HIV. |
| MYTH: You can get HIV by kissing an HIV-infected person. |
| REALITY: Casual contact through closed –mouth or “social” kissing is not a risk for transmission of HIV. Because of the theoretical potential for contact with blood during “French” or open mouth kissing, the CDC recommends against engaging in this activity with an infected person. However, no cases of AIDS have been attributed to any kind of kissing. |
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MYTH: You cannot get HIV if you are using birth control methods like diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, spermicides, Depo-Provera, Norplant, or the Pill |
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REALITY: These birth control methods do not prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as HIV. They only aim to prevent pregnancy. The surest way to prevent both pregnancy and an STD infection is through abstinence. One way people who are sexually active may prevent pregnancy and STD infection is to use a condom in combination with another form of birth control, such as a diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge, spermicide, Depo-Provera, Norplant, or the Pill. Birth control products containing the spermicide nonoxynol-9 (found in most contraceptive creams, gels suppositories, foams, films and sponges) help to prevent pregnancy but may increase the risk of HIV. |
| MYTH: I can’t have more than one sexually transmitted disease (STD) at a time. |
| REALITY: A person can be infected with more than one STD. A person with an untreated STD may also be 6-10 times more likely to pass on or acquire HIV during sex. Risk for infection increases 10 to 300 – fold in the presence of a genital ulcer, such as occurs in syphilis or genital herpes. |
| MYTH: There is no such thing as safer sex. |
| REALITY: Safer sex is sexual activity without penetration or sex with a latex condom or a latex barrier (in the case of oral sex). Although safer sex can substantially reduce the sexual transmission of an SRD like HIV, sexual abstinence is the surest way to prevent the sexual transmission of an STD, including HIV. |
| MYTH: Since I only had oral sex, I’m not at risk for HIV/AIDS. |
| REALITY: You can get HIV by having oral sex with a man or a woman. That is why it is important to use a latex barrier during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. |
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MYTH: I would know if a loved one or I had HIV. |
| REALITY: A person with HIV may not show any symptoms for up to 10 years. Since HIV affects each person differently, many people with HIV can look and feel healthy for years. The only sure way to know is to get tested. |
| MYTH: Getting tested for HIV is pointless. |
| REALITY: Knowing if you are HIV-positive will allow you to seek early treatment that can help you stay healthy longer and enable you not to pass on the virus to someone else. Regardless of your HIV status, you can learn how to prevent future infection from HIV or other STDs through counseling offered at many HIV testing centers. |
| MYTH: When you’re on HIV therapy you can’t transmit the virus to anyone else. |
| REALITY: Antiretroviral drugs don’t keep you from passing the virus to others. Therapy can keep the viral load down to detectable levels, but HIV is still present in the body and can still be transmitted to others. |
PREVENTING
HIV INFECTION
The goal of HIV prevention is to help people learn how to eliminate or
reduce their risk of becoming infected with HIV or of transmitting HIV
to others.
PREVENTING THE SEXUAL TRANSMISSION OF HIV
- Abstinence from sexual relations is the surest way to prevent the sexual spread of STDs like HIV.
- Get tested and share your STD status with your partner before having sex. Then practice safer sex techniques to prevent infection.
- Use a new latex barrier (a male condom, female condom, or dental dam) at each vaginal, anal, or oral sex encounter.
- Use a water-based lubricant with condoms. Do not use baby oil or other oil based lubricants such as Vaseline. These may cause holes to form in the condom, causing it to break.
- Products containing the spermicide nonoxyonol-9 (found in most contraceptive creams, gels, suppositories, foams, films and sponges) help to prevent pregnancy but may increase the risk of HIV.
- Never share sex toys.
- Engaging in a committed, monogamous relationship with a person who is free from HIV or any other STD is safer if you both mutually agree to refrain from any high-risk behaviors.
- Be aware cultural and social norms that may weaken your ability to negotiate with sex partners for safer sex.
PREVENTING THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV THROUGH NEEDLE AND BLOOD CONTACT
- Always use new sterile equipment and supplies. Don’t share or reuse any piercing, tattooing, or injection needles.
- Using needles cleaned with bleach or that have been heated is not as safe as using new, sterile needles.
- Don’t share drug supplies. Make sure cotton, water, and the drug itself are not contaminated.
- If you are an injection drug user, seek treatment as soon as possible for your substance abuse.
- Don’t share toothbrushes, floss, or razors.
- If you are HIV-positive, don’t donate blood, plasma, or organs.
- Try not to come in contact with other people’s blood.
PREVENTING THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV FROM MOTHER TO CHILD
- Get tested and seek treatment for HIV before becoming pregnant and labor to reduce the chance of transmission to your baby.
- Take zidovudine (AZT or ZDV) or nevirapine during pregnancy and labor to reduce the chance of transmission to your baby.
- If you are HIV-positive, use baby formula if they are available, since HIV can be transmitted through breast milk.
- Delivery by Cesarean section can reduce HIV transmission from a mother to her baby.
THE
LAW AND HIV/AIDS
HIV raises many legal, financial, and health insurance related questions
for both HIV-positive individuals and their employers. Laws differ in
each state. It is important that you consult an attorney in your state
or get advice from your local or state AIDS organization.
HEALTH
INSURANCE
If your employer offers health insurance to all employees, you will qualify
regardless of your HIV status. However, most health insurance policies
have pre-existing condition exclusion for the first 12 months of coverage.
PRE-EXISTING
CONDITIONS AND PORTABILITY
If you were HIV-positive before your employment began, you must have “insurance
portability” to use your benefits right away for HIV-related treatment.
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability ACT (HIPPA) covers
this policy.
You qualify for portability
if you had health insurance for at least 12 continuous months before your
new employer’s policy took effect and if there was no gap in coverage
of over 63 days between your old and new policies. With portability, your
new insurance must cover your pre-existing condition expense.
COBRA PROTECTION
If you must leave your job for any reason, and if your company has more
than 20 employees, the federal law COBRA allows you to keep your health
insurance for 18 months after your job ends. This time period is longer
if you become disabled.
If you don’t qualify for full portability, keep your COBRA insurance
until the new insurance will start paying for pre-existing conditions.
Some stat programs will help cover the cost of your COBRA payments.
FAMILY
MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
If you become ill, you are entitled to 12 weeks of protected, unpaid leave
under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), provided you have worked for
12 months (and 1250 hours).
The Family Medical Leave Act applies to employers with more than 50 employees. FMLA leave need not be taken at once and can be used as intermittent days once your sick days are exhausted.
DISCRIMINATION
IN EMPLOYMENT – AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), an employer cannot discriminate
against and HIV-positive employee. Also under this act and under applicable
state laws, your prospective employer cannot ask if you are HIV-positive
and cannot disclose your HIV status.
Your employer can
ask only if you are taking medications that affect your ability to perform
the job. Taking HIV medications generally does not interfere and therefore
need not be disclosed.
Once a job offer is made, an employer can request a complete physical,
drug test or even HIV test only if it is required of all employees; you
cannot be singled out. If you are taking HIV medications cause a positive
drug reaction on a urine test.
It is illegal under ADA to refuse to hire a person because of his/her HIV status or because of fear of absenteeism, higher insurance costs or the need for accommodations.
Once hired, if the employee request, an employer must provide “reasonable accommodation” to assist the HIV-positive employee on performing his or her job.
A reasonable accommodation is any modification in the work schedule that will enable the employee to perform the essential functions of the job, as long as it does not cause undue burden on the employer. An employee may request a reasonable accommodation if medically necessary.
Accommodations could include time off for doctor visits, later morning due to medication schedules, shortened work days or even work-at-home days if medically necessary.
AIDS
DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ADAP)
ADAP is administered by all 50 states; Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; the
Virgin Islands; and Guam. It provides medications to HIV-positive individuals
who have limited or no coverage from private insurance or Medicaid. For
more detailed information on ADAP, go to the ADAP website at www.hab.hrsa.gov:80/getting.htm
For more information on all of these federal programs, call the US Department of Health and Human Services Press Office at (202) 690-6343 or visit their website at www.dhhs.gov; or visit the Gay Men’s Health Crisis website at www.gmhc.org.