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Risky behavior
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Have you ever had unprotected sex
with someone and not known their HIV status? |
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Do you have more than one sex
partner? |
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Do you or your partner inject drugs,
vitamins or steroids? |
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Have you ever had a STD (sexually
transmitted disease)? |
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Have you ever had sex while high on
alcohol or drugs? |
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Have you ever had sex to get money,
drugs or shelter? |
If you answered yes
to any of the questions, you could be infected with HIV. HIV
has been found in high enough
quantities in blood, semen and vaginal fluid to transmit from one person to
another. HIV must get inside a person’s body for infection to occur. So, any
behavior that allows one person’s blood, semen, or vaginal fluids to enter
another person’s body is at risk.
There are basically three ways HIV is transmitted:
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Sharing
needles without cleaning them.
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Unprotected
sex - sex without a condom.
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Infected
mother can transmit HIV to child during pregnancy, childbirth and by breast
feeding.
Other
facts about HIV risk
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Having more than one sex partner increases the risk
of HIV infection and other STD’s like syphilis, gonorrhea, and herpes. The
more sex partners you have, the greater the risk of an STD, including HIV. |
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If you have ever had a STD, you may be at a higher
risk for HIV infection. STD’s can create openings or sores that greatly
increase the chances of HIV being passed from one person to another.
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Injection drug users are at risk for HIV because
drug users may share needles and other “works” without cleaning between uses.
This can result in tiny amounts of blood from an infected person being
injected directly into the body of the next person who uses the equipment. The
risk can be eliminated by not sharing drug use equipment. |
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Using alcohol or
other drugs may impair your ability to make healthy decisions like using a
condom or saying “no” to unsafe sex. |
What can I do to eliminate my risk?
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Abstain from all sexual activity
and injection drug use. That means not having sex and not shooting dope.
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Maintain a sexual relationship
with only one uninfected partner who has no other sexual partners and who does
not share drug equipment.
What can I do to reduce my risk?
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Reduce the number of sexual
partners to decrease risk of exposure to HIV and other STD’s.
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Avoid unprotected oral, anal or
vaginal sex or other sexual activities that may expose you to blood, semen or
vaginal fluid.
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Use a latex condom for every time
you have oral, anal or vaginal sex.
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Explore alternate sexual
activities. Many sexual activities do not involve the exchange of fluids and
are safe as long as they do not involve penetration. Alternate sexual
activities includes massage, hugging, body to body rubbing, masturbation,
fantasy and using sex toys that are not shared.
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Never share needles, syringes,
cookers or cotton for injecting drugs. If you do share needles clean them with
bleach and water.
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Avoid using
alcohol or other drugs that may impair your ability to make healthy decisions
like using a condom or saying “no” to unsafe sex.
Should I be
tested for HIV?
Anyone that has been
exposed to blood, semen or vaginal fluids of another person should consider
being tested for HIV.
Where can I be tested?
Call the Oklahoma HIV/AIDS hotline 24
hrs. a day at 1(800)535-2437 to
find out about testing in your area.
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