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Facts about HIV

•  HIV can take 10 years or more to show any symptoms.
• “Black people, in general, have a higher risk of HIV infection than any other racial or ethnic group.”
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adolescents (13 to 19 years of age) and young adults (20 to 24 years of age) accounted for 19% of the 36,189 HIV diagnoses in the United States and dependent areas in 2021.
• PrEP medications can be prescribed by the pediatrician and are also available through many local health departments.
• Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, some people may have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, or rash. The symptoms may last for a few days to several weeks. Other possible symptoms of HIV include night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and mouth ulcers.
• In older people, signs of HIV may be mistaken for symptoms of aging or of age-related conditions. Consequently, testing to diagnose the condition may not include HIV testing.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 13 to 64 years of age get tested for HIV at least once as part of a routine health care exam, and that people at higher risk for HIV get tested more often.
• HIV is more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage in many older people. According to an HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report from CDC, in 2021, 34% of people aged 55 and older in the U.S. already had late-stage HIV (AIDS) when they received a diagnosis.
• HCV is spread mainly through contact with the blood of a person who has HCV. In the United States, HCV is spread mainly by sharing needles or other injection drug equipment (works) with someone who has HCV.

Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a disease.  Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications, such as Suboxone, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-patient” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.  Research shows that a combination of medication and therapy can successfully treat these disorders, and for some people struggling with addiction, MAT can help sustain recovery. MAT is clinically driven with a focus on individualized patient care.  MAT for opioid use disorder in particular is the safest approach to care and is considered the best practice in the treatment of most patients including pregnant women.

Using Alone?

The Never Use Alone hotline connects you to someone who stays on the line while you use. If you become unresponsive, they will call for a first responder.

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