Minority Women's Health

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HIV/AIDS

Minority Women's Health > Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians > Health Topics > HIV/AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV weakens your immune system, which makes it hard for your body to fight off other health problems that it could normally resist. As time goes on, your body becomes less able to fight off diseases.

• Use latex condoms every time you have any kind of sex (vaginal, oral, or anal).
• If you use drugs and cannot or will not stop injecting drugs, use new, sterile syringes to prepare and inject drugs.
• If you're getting a tattoo or having your body pierced, ask what procedures they use to prevent the spread of HIV. If they do not use new, sterilized, or disinfected equipment, go somewhere else.

Publications

1.   Women and HIV/AIDS — This comprehensive section of womenshealth.gov provides women and their loved ones with resources and information they can use to get help with HIV/AIDS. It provides information on prevention, testing, living with the disease, opportunistic infections, medical care, HIV/AIDS and pregnancy, and more.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/HIV/

2.   HIV Infection in Women — This fact sheet addresses the special concerns that women with HIV/AIDS face. It includes information on symptoms, risk factors, and prevention.

   http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/HIVAIDS/Understanding/Population+Specific+Information/womenHiv.htm...

3.     HIV/AIDS Among Asians and Pacific Islanders — This fact sheet offers information about the risk factors and barriers to prevention for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders with HIV/AIDS.

   http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/API.pdf

Organizations

1.   AIDS.gov
2.   Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, CDC, HHS
3.   Office of Minority Health, OPHS, OS, HHS
4. Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum
5. Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
6. National Minority AIDS Council

= Indicates Federal Resources

Resources reviewed March 2008.