Monday, December 1, 2008

Myth No. 4: I'm HIV positive -- my life is over.

In the early years of the disease epidemic, the death rate from AIDS was extremely high. But today, antiretroviral drugs allow HIV-positive people -- and even those with AIDS -- to live much longer. In fact, from 2000 to 2004, the number of people living with AIDS increased by 30%.

Myth No. 5: AIDS is genocide.

In one study, as many as 30% of African-Americans and Latinos expressed the view that HIV was a government conspiracy to kill minorities. Instead, higher rates of infection in these populations may be due, in part, to a lower level of health care.

Myth No. 6: I'm straight and don't use IV drugs -- I won't become HIV positive.

Most men do become HIV positive through sexual contact with other men or through injection drug use. However, about 16% of men and 78% of women become HIV positive through heterosexual contact.

No comments:

Post a Comment