Increasing HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention
By Kristin Kuber, FCP Health & Wellness Center Health Educator
It is important for the community to increase their understanding of HIV/AIDS and recognize the impact that it has had on the Native American population. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which is a chronic condition that destroys the immune system, weakening the body’s ability to fight off infections and certain cancers. AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and is the last and most serious stage of HIV infection.
When a person has AIDS, the body’s immune system is too weak to defend against infections and cancer.
Individuals can become infected by having sex with someone who has HIV, sharing needles with someone who is infected, or being exposed to HIV as a baby, either during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding.
Anyone can become infected with HIV/AIDS regardless of race or ethnicity; however, Native Americans tend to have higher rates.
• Native Americans have a 40 percent higher rate of AIDS and HIV infection as compared to the white population.
• Native American men have a 40 percent higher AIDS rate as compared to white men.
• Native American women have twice the AIDS rate, and are 3.4 times more likely to die from AIDS, as compared to white women.
(Statistics taken from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health)
Native American HIV/AIDS rates could easily be lowered if more people focused on prevention. So, what can you do to prevent HIV?
• Get informed. It’s important to stay up-to-date on current HIV/AIDS information and learn what you can do to either prevent or treat HIV/AIDS.
• Get tested, and keep getting tested. Always know your status. HIV tests are available at the FCP Health and Wellness Center. You can also visit www.hivtest.org or http://www.arcw.org to find testing sites in your area.
• Use condoms correctly and consistently. Stop in the Community Health Department and ask for a brown bag. Condoms are FREE to tribal members and their families.
• Talk to someone. Decrease the stigma by sharing what you know about HIV.
HIV infection is preventable. By increasing your knowledge and taking small precautions, you can protect yourself from HIV. If you have questions about what you can do to prevent HIV or think that you might have been infected, talk to your health care provider or visit: http://aids.gov/; http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/; http://www.cdc.gov/ Features/NativeHIVAIDS/.
