Asian/Pacific Islanders and HIV/AIDS
There are more than 1 million people in the United States living with HIV. One-fourth of them do not know that they are HIV-infected. Could you be one of them? The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, and it is affecting thousands of Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the United States. Like other communities of color, the number of APIs living with HIV/AIDS continues to rise, with a yearly increase of more than 10 percent during the past 5 years.
Sixty-seven percent of API men living with HIV/AIDS in 2005 are men who have had sex with other men.
Eighty percent of API women living with HIV/AIDS in 2005 were infected through heterosexual contact. Heterosexual contact accounted for a greater proportion of HIV/AIDS cases among API women than among all other racial/ethnic groups.
Know Your Status. Get Tested for HIV.
If you do not know if you are infected with HIV, you could be spreading it to others. If you are HIV-positive, you must take steps to prevent passing your HIV infection to another person.
If you find out that you have HIV, it does not mean that you are going to get sick and die. While there is no cure for HIV, new drugs are available that can help you stay healthy and decrease the amount of HIV virus in your body.
What Is the HIV Test?
The HIV test detects whether or not you have been exposed to the HIV virus. There are several different kinds tests: Blood tests, urine tests, and an oral (mouth) test. Only a very small amount of blood is needed for the blood tests.
HIV tests can take a few days to 2 weeks for results, or with rapid HIV tests you can get results in about 20 minutes.
Where Can I Get Tested?
Free and confidential or anonymous HIV tests are available. To find an HIV testing site near you, visit www.hivtest.org.
Or, call:
1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
In English, en Español
Open 24 hours a day — Confidential
What Else Can I Do?
You have the power to help stop the spread of HIV.
- Be safe. The best way to prevent HIV is to abstain from having sex. If you do have sex, use a new latex condom every time. Do not share needles or syringes.
- Talk about it. Talk about sex and HIV with your partners. Find out when they were last tested for HIV and what their status was. Be clear that you will be having safer sex…or none at all.
- Talk to your doctor. If you are sexually active, you should get tested for HIV at least once. Do not assume your doctor will ask you to be tested for HIV.
- Spread the word. APIs are less likely than others to get tested for HIV. That has got to change. Spread the word about how important it is to be tested for HIV.
For more information about HIV and AIDS, visit: www.aids.gov.
National HIV Testing Mobilization Campaign
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
08/07
