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Key
Public Health Messages For All Populations Related To HIV
Prevention
•
Regardless of intention to use condoms
or other safer sex practices, everyone should discuss
their HIV and STD
status with potential sex partners PRIOR to engaging in anal,
vaginal, or oral
sex. This discussion should go beyond a simple statement
of disclosure. Possible statements/questions include, but
are not limited to: “I’m HIV- (or
HIV+), what is your HIV status?” “When was
the last time you tested
negative?” “What risk have you had since then?”
“Have you recently been tested for STDs?” “I’m
HIV positive, and for me safe sex means always using condoms
for anal sex.”
•
Condoms should be used for all anal and vaginal intercourse,
unless partners are in mutually monogamous, sero-concordant
relationships or have explicit negotiated safety agreements
(a relationship where both partners are certain of their concordant
HIV status and agree to always use condoms outside of their
relationship).
•
People with multiple partners, especially those with anonymous
partners, should be encouraged to reduce their number of sex
partners.
•
Members of all risk groups should avoid or reduce alcohol
and other
drug-mediated sexual activity.
•
People who have been diagnosed with HIV, STD, or hepatitis
should assist with efforts to ensure that exposed sex or needle-sharing
partners know that they have been exposed so the partners
can be screened and treated.
•
Persons
with HIV should seek and maintain regular, consistent
medical care for their infection. This does not mean that
all people with HIV need to be taking highly active anti-retroviral
medications, but all people with HIV should develop an on-going
relationship with a medical care provider.
POPULATION-SPECIFIC
MESSAGES:
•
Sexually active gay/bi men, drug injectors, and transgendered
individuals should be tested for HIV and STD in accordance
with local
clinical guidelines
• Gay/bi men, drug injectors, and transgendered individuals
should be vaccinated against Hepatitis
type A and type B.
• Injecting drug users should use new, sterile syringes
and new, clean injection equipment every time they inject
or divide drugs.
• Injecting drug users should be tested for HIV and
Hepatitis every 12 months.
• Injecting drug users should seek appropriate drug
treatment.
• Heterosexuals should be tested for HIV prior to beginning
new sexual relationships, and prior to becoming pregnant.
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