LIVING WELL WITH HIV

If you’re HIV-positive, there are steps you can take to prevent transmitting HIV to others and you can access needed care to help you manage your own health.

I’M HIV-POSITIVE,

WHAT NOW?


Receiving a positive test result for HIV is the beginning of multiple emotions and feelings. Knowing what care and treatment services are available and how to access them are extremely important to living well with HIV. A variety of confidential services are available in Florida to help improve your quality of life. Many of these services are available for free. For more information call the Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline 1-800-352-2437.

 

New treatments and medications as well as emotional support can lead to longer, healthier lives for people with HIV. The more you know about this chronic illness, the more you’ll be able to work with health care providers to manage your own health care.

Everyone approaches HIV in a different way. Most people have a lot of questions about HIV when they learn about their diagnosis – what it means, what to do about it, how long a person can live, and where to get treatment. We can help you find the answers, but you’ll also need to work closely with a health care provider to decide what is right for you.

If you are HIV positive, start by finding an agency that provides HIV-related or health services in your area as soon as possible. The agency will provide you with a case manager- someone who knows about HIV programs and services (which could even include housing and transportation), medications, treatments and related illnesses. If you have a primary healthcare provider that you prefer to contact, ask your doctor to work closely with an HIV specialist to ensure that you receive all the benefits for which you are eligible, as well as the best care possible.

HIV is a chronic illness and living with it can be overwhelming at times. To help you begin the process of entering care and treatment, your primary health care or case management provider can refer you to a counselor, social worker, someone living with HIV/AIDS, or a mental health professional.

 

GET LINKED

TO CARE

It is crucial that people living with HIV begin treatment as soon as possible. Immediate treatment typically leads to long, healthy lives for people living with HIV. It is estimated that 20-25% of persons living with HIV know their status and are not receiving consistent medical care. In Florida, we have a number of specific programs working to connect people to care and maintain that care over time. We invite community providers, consumers, patient care advocates, clinical staff, and others to be a part of the “Linkage Team” as we assist HIV-positive individuals to find a medical home.
Treatment as Prevention

If you test positive for HIV, treatment should start immediately. Studies show that individuals who start treatment right away stay healthier longer and have a lower viral load. Viral load is the term used to describe the amount of HIV in your blood. If your viral load is lower you are less likely to transmit HIV to others.

Medication Adherence

Medication adherence means sticking to an HIV regimen—taking HIV medication exactly as prescribed. Side effects, stigma, and barriers to access all can make it difficult to stick to an HIV regimen, but HIV medications prevent HIV from multiplying, which protects the immune system and reduces the risk of drug resistance and HIV treatment failure.

Medication Assistance

Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) helps people with HIV stay healthy by providing access to HIV prescription medications to eligible applicants who are uninsured or do not have adequate prescription coverage. Visit FloridaADAP.org today to see if you qualify for help.

Housing Assistance

Having a stable living environment plays a major role in the health of people with HIV. The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)program is a federally-funded initiative that helps people maintain stable housing, and have access to treatment and support services — which can all lead to better health.

In Florida, eleven regional agencies and six cities deliver HOPWA-funded housing services. If you need assistance to remain in your current housing or obtain new housing, have a conversation with your local HOPWA provider agency to find out if they can help you.

Depression and Mental Health

Depression and mental health issues can lower the quality of life among HIV-positive individuals and their families. It can also affect participation in HIV care and treatment programs. The Florida HIV/AIDS Hotline can link you to services that address these issues.

Stigma and Disclosure

Stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS and disclosure of one’s HIV status are two complex issues faced by people living with HIV/AIDS. Disclosing one’s HIV status is an extremely personal decision that HIV-positive individuals face every day. Stigma occurs when others are prejudiced toward or discriminate against a person or group of people. Stigma heavily impacts personal and community prevention efforts, and can have an effect on whether or not someone feels comfortable enough to disclose their HIV status.

Safer Sex

Practicing safer sex is important for everyone and particularly for HIV-positive individuals. Persons living with HIV/AIDS still need to practice safer sex to decrease the risk of being exposed to other STDs such as herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, and even other strains of HIV. For persons living with HIV/AIDS, these STDs can be more serious and can have an effect on an already compromised immune system. It is critical to continue to practice safer sex even if you and your partner are both HIV-positive. It is possible to contract different strains of HIV, which may not respond to your current HIV medications. As new strain could also potentially be resistant to other HIV drugs, making it more difficult to treat.

Mother-to-Child Transmission

Florida is ranked second in the United States for total pediatric AIDS cases and most HIV-positive infants and children acquire it through the birth process. As a result, Florida has specific laws in place that require health care providers to conduct routine prenatal screening for STDs, including HIV. Still, we continue to see babies born with HIV.

The Perinatal HIV Prevention Community is an educational platform that powers dialog to assure that all health care providers know and understand the laws related to HIV/STD testing and reporting in pregnancy and why this continues to be an important issue in our communities. We’ve designed the Perinatal Community to be simple to use. It offers a variety of resources related to testing and prevention of mother-to-child transmission and provides the necessary tools to help you make your facility proactive in the fight against HIV. Click here to learn more.