POSITIVE PREVENTION YOUNG PEOPLE’S TRAINING BY; HADIA HAWA

Positive prevention encompasses a number of strategies that include the following; Positive living  Under this aspect a person living with HIV/ AIDS must find an HIV specialist to manage the medications and also monitor the immune system.  Condom use is an absolute must  Understand opportunistic infections and how to prevent them.ie fungal, bacterial, viral, parasite.  Know everything about HIV medications  Keep track of lab results ie CD4 counts.  Join a support group.

Positive prevention strategies cont; Nutrition  Eat a well balanced diet and exercise regularly  Nutritious foods can work with medications to help boost weakened immune systems  Correct foods can ease side effects of HIV/AIDS medications.  Have a daily exercise routine such as yoga and walking.

Cont; Adherence This means sticking to something firmly eg sticking firmly to an HIV regimen ie taking HIV medicines everyday and exactly as prescribed. Drug resistance This happens when HIV is no longer suppressed by HIV medicines that previously prevented the virus from multiplying. There is a strong relation ship between adherence and drug resistance ie, taking HIV medicines every day prevents HIV from multiplying which reduces the risk that HIV will mutate and produce drug resistant HIV.

Why is adherence sometimes difficult?  Side effects from HIV medicines such as nausea, diarrhea.  Trouble swallowing pills or other difficulty taking medicines.  A busy schedule, shift from work or staying away from home that makes it hard to take pills on time.  Illness and depression.  Alcohol or drug use that interferes with the activities of daily life.  Lack of health insurance to pay for HIV medicines.  Fear of disclosing ones HIV positive status to others

Cont; Disclosure. Palliative health care.