HIV Services With Spectrum

Addressing Concerns

According to 2022 data by the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 1.2 million people were living with HIV. However, for every 100 of those people living with the virus, only 87 of them knew their HIV status. That means thirteen percent of the population living with HIV are unaware of it.

who is vulnerable?

The risks for getting HIV are multiple. Sixty seven percent of the new cases comes from male-to-male (MSM) sexual contact, twenty two percent of the cases come from heterosexual contact and seven percent come from persons who use IV drugs.

New Cases

Many new cases of HIV are still disproportionately found in Hispanic/Latino and Black /African American communities, affecting both MSM and heterosexual minorities.

Why Protect

Having a sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis or gonorrhea also increases the risk of getting or giving HIV significantly. As of 2022, the number of cases of both syphilis and gonorrhea have been the highest in over 40 years. This is another reason for protecting your sexual health by using condoms, and having testing done often.

the conversation

TESTING IS NORMAL. Having a conversation with your primary care provider about the type of sex (oral, anal, vaginal) you are having, the number of partners you have and the gender of your partners will help determine your vulnerability.

HIV Prevention: PrEP

Your provider can also recommend HIV prevention methods. Currently, using a daily pill or an injection every other month after the first two injections is available. There are other methods that are coming in the near future. This is called PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis). PrEP is for anyone who is sexually active who wants to protect themselves from HIV, no matter their gender or sexual preferences.

HIV Prevention: PEP

Protection from HIV can also come AFTER any unexpected, unprotected sexual encounter, or accidental needle stick. This is called PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis). This is oral medication that you can take for 28 days to prevent getting HIV, but it must be taken within 72 hours of any concerning sexual encounter. Either of these current methods are 96 to 99% effective in HIV prevention.