Intro to HIV/AIDS for Gifted Hands Volunteers Jennifer Samuels, MPH AIDS Service Center NYC

HIV 101: The Essential Facts HIV/AIDS is a complicated disease with many different ways of presenting itself. Someone can be infected with HIV and/or be diagnosed with AIDS, and you may never be able to tell. There are key facts to know about HIV/AIDS to better understand the disease, your personal risk for infection, and how to be a caring, compassionate, and sensitive volunteer working with people who may be living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV 101: The Essential Facts What does HIV stand for? (H)uman (I)mmuno-deficiency (V)irus What does AIDS stand for? (A)cquired (I)mmune (D)eficiency (S)yndrome

HIV 101: The Essential Facts What is the difference between being HIV+ and having AIDS? Being HIV+ means you have tested positive for the virus that causes AIDS. Some people can remain HIV positive for a long time before developing AIDS. Having AIDS means that you have are HIV positive, have a 200 or less T-4 cell count (a certain type of infection fighting cell), and/or you have had one or more AIDS-defining illnesses (opportunistic infections). Once you have an "AIDS" diagnosis, you will always have it, no matter what your current health condition.

HIV 101: The Essential Facts What carries HIV from one person to the next? “Transmission” fluids can spread HIV from a person who has it to a person who does not: Blood Semen/Pre-come Vaginal fluids Breast Milk Other fluids like saliva, tears, and sweat DO NOT transmit HIV!

HIV 101: The Essential Facts How is HIV spread from person to person? HIV is NOT spread through: Giving blood Telephones Hugging Handshakes Toilet Seats Sharing Food Unprotected Sex: Vaginal (high-risk) Anal (high-risk) Oral (lower-risk) Drug Use: Sharing drug-use equipment (high-risk) Bad judgment when high or drunk (high-risk) Mother to Child: During the birth process (high-risk) Breastfeeding (high-risk)

HIV in NYC Approximately 1 in 70 New Yorkers is infected with HIV, which is over 100,000 people. Thousands of people are infected with HIV in NYC and don’t even know it. New York City has the highest AIDS case rate in the country, with more AIDS cases than Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, and Washington DC combined. HIV is the 3rd leading cause of death below age 65 in New York City. The epidemic is increasingly affecting women, who now constitute a third of new AIDS cases – up from 1 in 10 at the start of the epidemic. More than 80% of new AIDS diagnoses and deaths in NYC are among African Americans and Hispanics. One of the fastest growing cohorts of new HIV diagnoses is heterosexual women.

Common Volunteer Issues If I am talking to someone with HIV/AIDS, what is ok to ask, what is not?

Common Volunteer Issues Answer: Some people are comfortable discussing details about their HIV status, such as how they became infected, and how they are doing, but some are not. To be safe, always let the person you are working with disclose to you without asking them outright, this will be the most comfortable situation for the both of you.

Common Volunteer Issues How do I know if someone is HIV positive?

Common Volunteer Issues Answer: It is not always possible to tell if a person has HIV, just like many other diseases. It is important not to try and “ID” people, but rather treat all people equally. People with HIV/AIDS may be facing other issues such as depression or substance abuse problems, which can stem from the stress of living with the disease. Therefore always be kind, considerate, and non- judgmental to lessen the stress of the person. You are there to help them enjoy themselves, not to question them or their behaviors.

Common Volunteer Issues What if an accident occurs and someone cuts themselves?

Common Volunteer Issues Answer: Always make sure to treat all incidents or accidents where blood and/or other transmission fluids occur with universal precautions for preventing HIV transmission

Common Volunteer Issues UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS Use of precautions for contact with blood, for body fluids containing visible blood, and for other transmission fluids for all people, even if their HIV status is negative should be followed: –Alert volunteer coordinator or individual in charge to incident or accident where blood and/or other transmission fluids are present. –Gloves should always be worn when in contact with blood, body fluids containing visible blood, and/or other transmission fluids despite presence of HIV or not.

Sources NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, AVERT, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Division for HIV/AIDS Prevention, AIDS Service Center NYC,

The Next Step Now that you have gone through this presentation, be sure to download the essential volunteer information page and volunteer statement form Sign the volunteer statement form, keep 1 copy for yourself and give the original to the volunteer coordinator or individual in charge of the group you are volunteering with Thank You For Donating Your Time To Gifted Hands!