A program of Cobb/ Douglas Community

Services Board

Project Overview• Designed to help stop the spread

of HIV and Hepatitis B & C among high risk heterosexual African Americans who use addictive substances.• Addresses the seriously

disproportionate impact that HIV/AIDS is having on the African American community.• Confronts the high rate of HIV

transmission among individuals with substance related disorders.

A program of Cobb/ Douglas Community Services Board

FREE Rapid HIV Testing FREE Condoms & Literature Community Presentations HIV Prevention & Support

Linkage to care Healthcare Navigator/ Case Manager

Individual and Family Counseling Substance Abuse Treatment

Mental Health Services Gender Specific Educational Classes

Program Services: 

HIV/AIDS 101 Presentation

And the Importance of Stigma

Key Points• Define HIV and AIDS

• How is HIV transmitted

• How is HIV not transmitted

• Preventing HIV transmission

• Getting Tested

• Who’s at risk

• What is Stigma

• Impact of Stigma on HIV/AIDS

What is HIV?

•A virus, one of many that can make you sick.

•HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

• The common cold flu, measles, and chicken pox are also caused by viruses.

•HIV is a type of virus that CAN NOT reproduce (make copies of itself) on its own.

•HIV attacks cells in the body and uses the cells’ “machinery” to make copies of itself.

What is AIDS?• AIDS or Acquired Immuno

Deficiency Syndrome.

• Conditional Result of HIV Infection.

• Clinical Diagnosis.

• CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 and/or

• Opportunistic Infections-Infections-PCP Pneumonia, Kaposi’s Sarcoma, CMV, Candidiasis, Recurrent Yeast Infections, Toxoplasmosis, TB

• Not Everyone progresses to AIDS

How Does HIV Make You Sick?

• When HIV attacks and destroys too many CD4 cells, your body has fewer cells to protect you from infections.

• You can then get other serious opportunistic infections and diseases like cancer.

• Opportunistic Infections-are infections that your body can no longer fight off because HIV has destroyed too many CD4 cells.

• AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome) is a medical term that means you have advanced HIV infection and are at high risk for OIs.

What does NOT transmit HIV?

• Saliva

• Nasal Discharge

• Sweat

• Tears

• Urine

• Feces

• Insects BitesCasual Contact does not transmit HIV

Alcohol, Drugs, & HIV?• Drinking alcohol or taking drugs may

make people take the following risks related to HIV:• Having sex without a condom• Sharing needles & syringes with

an infected person• Having multiple sex partners

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Prevention • Abstinence (100%).• Condoms/protective barriers

correctly used during intimacy greatly reduces risk of HIV and other STD’s.• Assume everyone is positive.

• Ask about HIV Status.

• Sex with MSM

• Get tested for HIV yearly. Results 15-20 minutes. • Treatment as Prevention (TAP).• PrEP for High Risk Negatives

(HRN).

“The only way to know whether you have HIV is to get TESTED.”

Statistics-Who’s affected? Cobb & Douglas Counties are the 3rd leading Georgia counties

with current HIV cases. GA ranks 5 in U.S. African-Americans account for 44% of newly diagnosed HIV cases. The South accounts for 44% of persons living with an AIDS

diagnosis. As of 2010, 66% of Georgians living with HIV/AIDS lived in Metro

Atlanta 1:8 people living with HIV do not know their status. 1 out of 4 new cases ages 13-24 yo (78% MSM). Overall: 63% MSM, 11% IVDU, 25% Heterosexual contact.

 

Statistics-Who’s affected? Cobb & Douglas Counties are the 3rd leading Georgia counties

with current HIV cases. GA ranks 5 in U.S. African-Americans account for 44% of newly diagnosed HIV cases. The South accounts for 44% of persons living with an AIDS

diagnosis. As of 2010, 66% of Georgians living with HIV/AIDS lived in Metro

Atlanta 1:8 people living with HIV do not know their status. 1 out of 4 new cases ages 13-24 yo (78% MSM). Overall: 63% MSM, 11% IVDU, 25% Heterosexual contact.

 

Cobb County

Fulton County

DeKalb County

Douglas County

CherokeeCounty

http://dph.georgia.gov/sites/dph.georgia.gov/files/HIV%20EPI_2011%20Georgia%20HIV%20AIDS%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf

The Changing U.S. Epidemic

• Still mostly men 80%

Mostly MSM, increasing

• Women 20%

Mostly Heterosexual,

(decreasing)

IVDU stable

• Biggest changes are in new diagnoses:

• Blacks and Hispanics are

disproportionately affected.

• Incidences ages 13-24 increasing for

MSM (especially black MSM) The South is now 44% of all new diagnoses.

HIV Testing/CDC 2006

• Test everyone 13-64 years of age at least yearly.

• Test high risk persons more often.

• Test all pregnant women in first trimester (high risk each trimester)

• Health care providers have continued to do “risk based” testing.

• 1 out of 8 infected persons remain unaware of their status.

• HIV progresses clinically and causes complications and death in undiagnosed cases.

• Undiagnosed HIV positives transmit the infection to others.

• HIV can now be treated and transmission prevented.

• The benefits of screening outweigh the harms.

• New advances in HIV treatment can drastically slow down and perhaps stop the progression of HIV to AIDS.

• Treatment regimens usually include a combination of a number of different classes of antiretroviral drugs.

• The sooner one is linked to care the better the outcome for quality and quantity of life and risk reduction.

The Good News

Why Linkage to Care is IMPORTANT

• Lengthens the time from HIV diagnosis to AIDS diagnosis.

• Leads to better to better health outcomes.

• Many patients who self navigate to access care become lost to care.

• 38.3% of patients diagnosed with HIV progress to AIDS within 1 year of HIV diagnosis.

• 6.78% of patients develop AIDS within 1 to 3 years of confirmed HIV infection.

HIV HEALTHCARE CONTINUUM

Stigma & Discrimination:

Stigma A mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or

reproach as on one’s reputation

Discrimination To make a distinction in favor or

against something without regard to actual merit.

Stigma (society’s disapproval) comes from what people think or feel because of:

•Our own social group or circumstances.

• Something we have done.

•Our association with a group or someone who is stigmatized.

THE IMPACT OF STIGMA

Individuals will be more likely to avoid HIV testing and treatment.

Individuals will be less likely to disclose HIV status.

Individuals tend to access care late in the disease process.

Individuals will be less inclined to take HIV medications.

HIV Stigmatizing Behaviors

Referring to HIV as “AIDS”. Referring to your HIV status as “clean”. Rejecting an individual who has HIV Correlating HIV-positive people with negative stereotypes. Associating HIV with only homosexual, substance abuse,

or minority individuals.

Ways We Can Help Reduce Stigma

Recognize that it exists! Examine your own tendencies toward

stigmatizing persons with HIV/AIDS. Learn and teach the facts. Show empathy. Increase access to HIV testing and treatment.

Healthcare Providers & People with HIV

• May or may not have symptoms in acute phase (if so, much like the flu in the acute phase).

• Can infect others even if they don’t look or feel sick.

• HIV can not be transmitted between colleagues by working together.

• Employers and their employees are not here to judge people living with HIV nor make assumptions about how they became infected.

Healthcare Providers & People with HIV

• Only a test can show if a person is infected with HIV. Ask for HIV test specifically!

• Only a doctor can diagnose AIDS.

• It is up to the individual to decide when and how to divulge their HIV Status.

• Health practitioners take universal precautions so no need to know patient’s HIV status.

• Colleagues with HIV need our support-Not gossip and prejudice.

Finally

Conversations with healthcare providers, peer educators, case managers are confidential!

All clients and employees should feel free to ask questions without fear of STIGMA regarding HIV/AIDS!

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