Be honest, do you understand everything there is about HIV/AIDS? It’s okay if you don’t! Most of our population is in your exact same shoes. Whether you’re gay or straight, it is vital to become educated about this disease. This is especially true if you live within the bubble that is Atlanta.
Based on data from the Georgia Department of Human Resources’ Epidemiology Branch of the Division of Public Health, estimates for metro Atlanta show more than 26,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and more than 9,500 of these (37%) have diagnosed AIDS cases. The more knowledge a person has about this virus, the more they are able to prevent infection in the future.
What exactly is HIV/AIDS?
The term “HIV” stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. According to the site, AIDS.gov, “HIV weakens your immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. A “deficient” immune system can’t protect you.” This means that receiving a simple cold can affect your body even worse because the immune system is being under attacked. Sad to say, there is no cure for HIV.
“AIDS” stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. When the HIV virus infects too much of your immune system, you are considered to have AIDS. AIDS.gov explains that, “You are considered to have progressed to AIDS if you have one or more specific OIs (opportunistic infections), certain cancers, or a very low number of CD4 cells (T-cells).” When the virus is on this level, you become more likely to encounter sickness from other infections.
How do I prevent infection!?
Don’t panic! Luckily, there are many actions we can do in advance to protect ourselves from the HIV virus. Here is a list of things you can follow in order to stay safe:
- Practice safe sex by incorporating condoms
- Make sure you are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol before engaging in sex
- If you participate in drug use, do not share needles with others
- Ask your partners in advance if they have HIV
- Do not engage in sex if you have anal scarring. This will increase the chance of fluids entering your body.
It’s important to remember that HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. Everyone has the same chance of becoming infected by the virus. The best way to stay safe is to stay informed and to follow the steps above. Go to http://www.aids.gov/index.html if you have further questions about this virus.
AIDSAtlanta 
Answer to your question: No, I don’t really understand all the facts. So thank you for the plethora of information! You provided great details and illustrations that really helped people like me grasp it better. I would love to learn about what researchers are currently working on to find the cure, so maybe that could be your next post!
I found this blog post very interesting for many reasons. First, I didn’t realize how prevalent AIDS was in Atlanta. I’ve seen a few posters about AIDS around the city, but it’s definitely not something I hear about a lot. Also, I most definitely did not know most of the things that you wrote about here, the facts or even the difference between HIV and AIDS. Most of all, I liked that you wrote about how to prevent infection. I feel that this information could not be repeated enough. Thanks for sharing!
If anyone actually thinks that they know everything there is to know about this, they are lying! I appreciate the fact that you met the reader where they were in their knowledge of this topic. You presented facts that were credible. Most importantly, you subtly connected the facts to the reader. I appreciate how you made your issue relevant to any reader across the board.