HIV+ persons

Over 1 million persons in the US are living with HIV/AIDS. Advances in the early diagnosis, treatment and care of HIV+ persons have helped many people enjoy increased health and longer life. Some HIV+ persons have experienced a renewed interest in sexual or drug-using activity. This can place them at risk for acquiring additional STD infections and for transmitting HIV to their uninfected partners. Many HIV+ persons, therefore, require programs to help them stay safe. Most HIV+ persons are concerned about not infecting others and make efforts to prevent transmission. However, a significant percentage of HIV+ persons struggle with prevention: from 20-50% of HIV+ persons report unprotected sex with partners who are HIV- or whose HIV status they do not know. For many HIV+ persons, the same structural, inter-personal and behavioral challenges that put them at risk for HIV persist beyond their HIV diagnosis and play a role in their inability to prevent HIV transmission. Prevention with HIV+ persons may include education and skills building interventions, efforts to test more persons who are HIV+ but do not know their status, support and testing for partners of HIV+ persons and integrating prevention into routine medical care.