Five things you can do to help end the AIDS epidemic

In the past five years, more than 2000 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in Colorado. IV/AIDS has a large impact in the LGBT community, where in Denver alone, nearly four out of every five individuals diagnosed with HIV identifies as a gay or bisexual man. These are sobering statistics to reflect on ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1.

Given the remarkable scientific advances and HIV-prevention tools currently available, even one new diagnosis is one too many. Denver agrees and made a bold statement earlier this year by joining 50 other cities around the world in the Fast-Track Cities Initiative committed to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. In doing so, the city set aggressive goals to reach by 2020.

What are those goals?

• 90 percent of people living with HIV will know their status.

• 90 percent of people who know their HIV-positive status will be on HIV treatment.

• 90 percent of people living with HIV on treatment will have their virus under control.

• Zero discrimination, including stigma.

• Denver is poised to be one of the first cities to achieve these targets, and you can help.

Here are five ways to prevent getting or passing on HIV.

Get tested every 3–6 months.

It’s simple, but the first step to ending HIV is knowing your status. In the Denver metro area, one in seven gay and bisexual men doesn’t know he’s living with HIV and may unknowingly expose his partner(s).

Talk about PrEP. (And if you’re HIV-negative, figure out if PrEP is right for you.)

Regardless of your HIV status, talk about PrEP. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, more than half of gay and bisexual men in the US have not heard about PrEP. We need to make sure people who can benefit most from PrEP are aware it exists and can make an informed decision about whether PrEP is right for them. Pro tip: Denver Public Health now offers PrEP. If you have questions or are interested in scheduling a consult appointment, call (303) 602-3652.

Know when and where to get PEP.

Not to be confused with PrEP, PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. PEP is emergency HIV medicine to prevent HIV infection if started within 72 hours after a potential exposure to HIV. As a disclaimer, taking PEP does not guarantee you will not become infected with the virus but does dramatically reduce the risk in case you are exposed. If you find yourself in an emergency situation where you need PEP, you can get a prescription from your medical provider or Denver Public Health’s STD and Family Planning Clinic.

Continue to take your meds regularly.

Whether you’re HIV-positive and taking HIV medicine to control your virus, or HIV-negative and taking PrEP to prevent HIV infection, continue to take your medicine regularly. In doing so, you’re making a great difference in ending new HIV infections.

If you’re HIV-positive and taking your HIV medicine regularly, not only are you staying healthy and keeping your virus under control with an undetectable viral load, but you’re also greatly reducing the risk of passing the virus to your sexual partners. That’s a pretty sweet deal for everyone involved.

Bring up HIV status with your partner (before you get it up).

Admittedly the worst time to bring up HIV status with your partner is when things are getting hot and heavy. Commit to bringing it up before getting it up. Isn’t it better to be in the know? It can be as easy as putting your status in your dating profile or texting it to your potential hookup ahead of time. Check out Denver Public Health’s Bring It Up campaign for additional tips to bring up HIV in conversation and visit DenverBringsItUp.org.

With World AIDS Day approaching on December 1, the day is a great reminder that we all have a role to play in changing the future of HIV/AIDS. Will you help end the AIDS epidemic by 2030?