Get The Facts

The numbers are clear-young people are at risk for HIV infection

Every young adult, parent and educator needs to learn the facts about HIV/AIDS. If you don't think HIV/AIDS will affect anyone you know, check out the statistics below. Or, use these links to skip to facts on HIV transmission and prevention now.

  * The Difference Between HIV and AIDS (link below)

  * Transmission and Prevention of HIV (link below)

  * HIV Testing (link below)

• It is estimated that Americans between the ages of 13 and 24 are contracting HIV at a rate of 2 per hour. This translates into an estimated 20,000 new infections each year.
• In fact, while they make up only 16% of the population, people under the age of 25 represent an estimated one-half of all new HIV infections. The majority of these cases are contracted sexually.
• By the time they reach 12th grade, 65% of American youth are sexually active, with one in five reporting four or more sexual partners.
• Three million adolescents—roughly 1 in 4 sexually experienced teens—contract sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) annually. Two-thirds of the 12 million Americans with STDs are under the age of 25. These statistics are a clear indication that young people are engaging in unprotected sex.
• Rates of HIV infection among African-American and Latino youth are disproportionate. While each group makes up only about 15% of U.S. teenagers, African-Americans account for 67% of reported HIV infections and Latinos account for an additional 20%.
• Young women between the ages of 13 and 19 seem to be at higher risk, comprising 63% of reported HIV cases within their age group.
• Young men who have sex with men are also at higher risk, making up more than half of reported HIV infections among men between the ages of 13 and 24. Young urban men who have sex with men show an infection rate of 7%.
• 87% of young Americans surveyed reported that they do not believe that they are at risk for HIV infection.
• There have been signs of improvement. In 1999, 50% of high school students reported having engaged in sexual intercourse. That's down from 54% in 1991.
• Also between 1991 and 1999, the percentage of sexually active high school students who reported using a condom the last time they had sex increased from 46% to 58%.

HIV — the Human Immunodeficiency Virus — is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV takes over white blood cells. This disables the immune system, which keeps the body healthy by fighting off viruses, bacteria, and other organisms that cause illness. Many people with HIV have no symptoms and are unaware of their own status.

AIDS — Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome — is a condition in which the HIV virus has impaired the immune system, making the body vulnerable to certain diseases known as opportunistic infections. In a person with an uncompromised immune system, such diseases do not have the same opportunity to take hold. A person is considered to have AIDS if he or she is HIV positive and has developed one or more illnesses associated with AIDS (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) or has a white blood cell count of less than 200.

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• A person cannot become infected with HIV through casual contact (e.g. shaking hands, hugging, kissing, eating off the same plate, sitting on the same toilet seat, etc.). It is also impossible to become infected by donating blood, as sterile needles are used to draw blood from a single donor and then thrown away.
• HIV is transmitted through four very specific bodily fluids: blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk.
• Because HIV is only transmitted through these four fluids, a person can become infected with HIV in three very specific, preventable ways:
  1. Mother to child: A child born to an HIV-positive mother will test positive for HIV antibodies at birth, as babies are born with their mother's immune system antibodies. Within 18 months, the child will develop his/her own immune system and antibodies and thus, in half of all cases, will actually be HIV-negative. In the other half of cases, the child will be HIV-positive at the end of 18 months. Today, pregnant women who know that they are HIV-positive can be given AZT in combination with other HIV medications during their pregnancy, which decreases their children's chances of remaining HIV-positive. This treatment, coupled with the election to have a cesarean section, lowers the transmission rate to just 2%. However, if the mother breast-feeds, she increases the risk of infecting the baby because HIV is present in breast milk.
  2. Sharing needles or other paraphernalia for intravenous (IV) drug use, piercing or tattooing. The sharing of needles or other paraphernalia can transmit HIV, as blood can be carried from one user to another. It is important to recognize that IV drugs include hard drugs such as heroin or cocaine, but also include steroids, insulin, and anything else injected with a needle.
  3. Oral, anal, and vaginal sex. All three are very risky without protection. There is no such thing as safe sex (except abstinence, or postponing sex). Today we call it safer sex.
     1. Abstaining from or postponing sex is the only truly safe sex and is an option that should be seriously considered. Postponing sex doesn't mean never having sex, it just means waiting until a later point in a person's life. People choose to postpone sex for a variety of reasons. Some of these are: wanting to wait until later in life to have sex; wanting to wait for the right person to have sex with; not being comfortable discussing these issues with their partner; not having enough information; or not having condoms available in order to practice safer sex.
     2. The only way to prevent the transmission of HIV through oral, vaginal, or anal sex is by using a latex or polyurethane barrier such as a condom. This prevents the exchange of bodily fluids such as blood, semen, preseminal fluid (the fluid that appears at the tip of the penis prior to ejaculation), and vaginal fluids, all of which can transmit HIV from an infected person.

         

        Safer Sex: A latex or polyurethane condom put on before genital contact and taken off only after ejaculation is the safest kind of sex. This applies to oral, vaginal, and anal sex. Condoms come in a wide variety of brands, types, sizes, and styles. It is important to check the expiration date on the condom package to make sure it has not passed and find a condom that works for you. A condom must be held by its tip while it is rolled down over the penis, fitting snugly all the way from the head to the base of the penis. Only water-based lubricant can be used with a condom, since oil-based lubricants erode latex.

         

        When used consistently (every time) and correctly, condoms are 97% effective. For instructions on proper storage and use of condoms, click here.

         

        Condom failure is usually the result of improper use. Some common errors include:
        1. Beginning intercourse without a condom with the intention of putting one on later.
        2. Taking the condom off in the middle of intercourse.
        3. Putting the condom on incorrectly—for example, inside-out or not rolled all the way down over the penis.
        4. Using a condom that does not fit properly (although most condoms fit most men).
        5. Accidentally tearing or puncturing the condom while putting it on, during sex, or while removing the penis after ejaculation. (Watch for sharp nails or jewelry and never use teeth to open the condom package.)
        6. Using an oil-based lubricant with the condom. (Oil damages the latex.)
        7. Using a lambskin (or "natural skin") condom. (While these condoms do prevent pregnancy, they are not effective at preventing the transmission of HIV.)
        8. Using a condom with an expiration date that has passed. (Expiration dates are normally printed on the box or wrapper that the condom comes in.)
        A latex barrier (such as a dental dam or cut open condom) must be used as a barrier between partners when mouth-to-vagina or mouth-to-anus oral sex is performed. HIV can be found in the vaginal fluid of infected women and in blood introduced through tears in the lining of the anus.
     3. While it is sometimes difficult, negotiating safer sex with partners is an essential skill. It may help to view practicing safer sex as a sign of respect—respect for yourself and for your partner. In addition, safer sex is sexy. By being honest and protecting yourselves, you and your partner can concentrate on each other and the experience, not the potential consequences.
     4. There are many myths about the transmission of HIV. Douching after intercourse, using birth control methods other than condoms—such as the pill, Depo Provera ("the shot"), a diaphragm or an intrauterine device (IUD)—or practicing withdrawal (pulling out before ejaculation) DOES NOT prevent the spread of HIV. The only way to prevent the transmission of HIV through oral, vaginal, or anal sex is by using a latex or polyurethane barrier such as a condom.
     5. Drugs and alcohol play a significant role in the transmission of HIV.

         

        Use of drugs and alcohol lowers inhibitions, impairs judgment, and makes it harder to resist the temptation to have sex or to insist upon safer sex. It is important to keep condoms and lubricant available if there is any possibility that you may be engaging in sexual activity. Condoms can be bought at stores and are available through many health clinics. In addition, many high schools have condom availability programs.

         

        Drugs, when taken intravenously, can be directly responsible for transmitting HIV if needles are shared.
     6. There is a strong correlation between HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which are also referred to as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). That's why it is essential that anyone who is sexually active be tested regularly—and, if necessary, receive treatment—for STDs/STIs.
     7. If you suspect that you may have been exposed to HIV, there is a treatment that may reduce your risk of contracting HIV. To obtain post-exposure prophylaxis, as it is known, you must visit a doctor within 24 to 36 hours of exposure.

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• Anyone who has put him/herself at risk of HIV infection (e.g., who has had unprotected sex or shared drug needles) should be tested. In addition, anyone who is sexually active should be tested regularly. While it may seem scary, being tested is wise.
  1. If you are HIV-negative, you will have the reassurance of knowing your status.
  2. If you are HIV-positive, it is essential that you have this information for the following reasons:
     1. If diagnosed early, you can seek treatment which can prevent many of the symptoms of AIDS, enabling you to live a longer, healthier life.
     2. You can avoid infecting others with HIV.
• The procedure commonly known as an HIV test actually tests for the antibodies to HIV. For this reason, it can take some time after infection before testing will yield a positive result. Therefore, if a person puts him/herself at risk of HIV infection, he/she must wait three months before getting tested in order to be sure of an accurate result. However, if the person is infected with HIV, he/she will still be infectious (able to transmit HIV to others) during this time, which is known as the window period.
• It is impossible to become infected with HIV by getting tested or giving blood. (It is a myth that donating blood can result in HIV infection.)
• Young people may find it difficult to get tested for HIV. Some common barriers include:
  1. Not having insurance and/or a regular health care provider. Free or low cost health insurance for young people under the age of 19 who do not qualify for Medicaid and who are not covered under private insurance may be obtained through Child Health Plus. (For more information on this, please consult the Resource Center.)
  2. Not knowing where to go for a test and/or not being able to get to the site during testing hours. (For information on where to obtain an HIV test, please visit the Resource Center.)
  3. Mistakenly believing that parental consent is required. While parental consent is not required in order to obtain an HIV test, it is true that some states allow parental notification of a positive test result at the physician’s discretion. For this reason, some young people may wish to seek a site that provides anonymous or confidential testing.
     1. An anonymous test does not require a name, and only the person getting tested can reveal the results.
     2. A confidential test requires the person’s name, but the results are only shared with medical personnel and, in some states, the state health department. When seeking a confidential test, it is important to inquire in advance as to who will have access to the results.
  4. Mistakenly believing that payment is required in order to get an HIV test. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and most community health clinics offer free testing for individuals. (For information on where to obtain a free HIV test, please visit the Resource
     Center.)

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Make A Difference:

• Share the Facts
• Learn The Power Of "No"
• Tell A Friend How To Be Safe
• Become An HIV Awareness Activist
• Bring A Speaker To Your School
• Protect Yourself
• Visit Your School's Health Room