PCP HIV AIDS Toolkit/HIV AIDS Fact Sheet

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PCP HIV AIDS Toolkit HIV AIDS Fact Sheet
This page is part of the PCP HIV AIDS Toolkit.
HIV/AIDS FACT SHEET
WHAT IS HIV?:

HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

  • Human: found only in humans
  • Immuno: the immune system
  • Deficiency: a reduction of immune system cells
  • Virus: type of organism; other examples of viruses are dengue, malaria, hepatitis, herpes
EFFECTS OF HIV:
  • Decreases the body's ability to fight off infections
  • Easily become very sick from simple infections, for example, a cold or tuberculosis
  • There is no cure
  • Treatment is to take drugs, for the rest of one's life to stop the virus from reproducing
FACTS OF HIV:
  • No vaccine as of yet
  • Can never get rid of the virus once infected
  • Cannot tell if a person has HIV by looking at them: blood test is required
  • Is transmitted only through body fluids
  • May remain dormant for many years
  • Will lead to AIDS if left untreated
WORLDWIDE ESTIMATE HIV & AIDS, 2008
  • GLOBAL TOTAL: 33.6 million
  • Sub-Saharan Africa" 22 million
  • North Africa and Middle East: 380,000
  • South & Southeast Asia: 4.2 million
  • Oceania: 74,000
  • Latin America: 1.7 million
  • Caribbean: 230,000
  • Eastern Europe and Central Asia: 1.5 million
  • East Asia: 740,000
  • North America: 1.2 million
  • Western and Central Europe: 730,000

UNAIDS/WHO 2008 Report on the global AIDS epidemic

WHAT IS AIDS?:

AIDS: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

  • Acquired: you must become infected
  • Immuno: affects the immune system
  • Deficiency: causes a decreases in immune system
  • Syndrome: physical effects (symptoms) of virus
FACTS OF AIDS:
  • Is caused by the HIV virus
  • May develop within months after infection, but may NOT develop for 15 or more years
  • Anti-Retroviral Drugs are necessary to delay death
  • Death is caused by other "opportunistic" diseases due to non-functioning immune system
MODES OF TRANSMISSION:

Through bodily fluids

  1. Sexual intercourse: most common way
  2. Drug users sharing needles
  3. blood transfusion
  4. Babies born from mothers infected with HIV from child delivery, breast feeding, amniotic fluid from child delivery
MODES OF PREVENTION:
  1. Abstain - do not have sex (100% effective)
  2. Have sex with only one faithful partner
  3. Use a condom if you (or your partner) have had other sexual partners. Using a condom reduces the risk of getting or giving HIV/AIDS
  4. Don't have sex with persons who have many sex partners or persons who inject illegal drugs
  5. Don't receive any injection unless you are sure the instruments are sterilized first
  6. Safely & appropriately handle blood products-only if necessary
  7. Help educate & raise awareness
WHO IS AT RISK?

Individuals at high risk include:

  1. Overseas foreign workers
  2. Seafarers
  3. Sex workers
  4. Drug users
  5. Unborn babies with mothers infected
  6. Persons having sex:
    • unprotected
    • with multiple partners
    • with an HIV positive person

No one is secure or invincible from getting the virus

IN THE PHILIPPINES
CUMULATIVE # of REPORTED HIV-AIDS CASES
  • 1984 - 1st case identified in the Philippines
  • January 1984 - July 2008
    • 3,358 HIV (+) cases
    • 2,562 (75%) - asymptomatic
    • 798 (25%) - AIDS
  • Of the 3,358, 1,142 (34%) are OFWs, of which:
    • 1,119 (33%) - seafarers
    • 162 (17%) - domestic helpers
    • 81 (9%) - employees
    • 72 (8%) - entertainers
    • 58 (6%) - health care workers
  • Majority of the cases are in the 25 - 39 age group
  • 74% infected are males
  • Sexual intercourse is the leading mode of transmission of the infection (94%)
  • Hidden & Growing: due to increasing high risk behaviors and practices
  • All the ingredients for an HIV-AIDS explosion: Less than 1% of the population is infected, yet...
    • Active sex industry
    • Expanding tourism
    • Increasing numbers of OFW's
  • False sense of security and invincibility
  • Attitude of complacency, "it won't happen to me"
  • Actual numbers of HIV infections unknown
FILIPINO YOUTH SEXUALITY (15-27yrs)
  • Increase in proportion of young people engaging in premarital sex
  • 34% reported having multiple sex partners
  • Unprotected sex: young men 70%; women 68%
  • 60% of the young believe there is no chance for them to get HIV-AIDS