Prepare For Your Conversation

For some people, talking about HIV/AIDS may be uncomfortable and may feel embarrassing at first, even with close family members and friends. With a little preparation and practice, you can boost your confidence, overcome any fears that you might have, and start talking openly about HIV with your family and friends. Knowing what you want to say about HIV and the approach you want to take to get the conversation started can help you prepare for your conversation and feel more confident. Remember, a conversation does not always have to be face-to-face. Whether you talk, type, or text, what is important is that you start the conversation about HIV.

Learn the facts before you start your conversation

It’s important to relay truthful, useful, and accurate information about HIV when you talk to your family members and friends. The more we understand about HIV, how it is transmitted (and not), and how to prevent it, the less cause for fear. And, when talking about HIV with our loved ones, we can make sure that they learn the basics, including how HIV is transmitted, how to protect themselves, and the importance of HIV testing.

Here are a few facts you might want to consider talking about:

• HIV is still a health issue in the United States. More than 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the United States, including more than 251,000 Hispanics/Latinos.

• Myths persist about how HIV is transmitted. HIV is spread mainly by having sex with or sharing drug injection equipment with someone who is infected with HIV. HIV cannot be spread by casual contact such as hugging, shaking hands, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a door knob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, cigarettes, pets, or insects. HIV is not spread through the air, and it does not live outside the body.
• Many people who are living with HIV don’t know it. Getting an HIV test is the only way to know if you have HIV. HIV testing is fast, free, and confidential. To find an HIV testing center near you, you can enter your ZIP code online, call 800-CDC-INFO, or text your ZIP code to “KNOW IT” (566948) and you will receive a text back with a testing site near you. You can also get a home testing kit (the Home Access HIV-1 Test System or the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test) from a drugstore.
• Although there is currently no cure for HIV, there are treatment options that can help people with HIV and AIDS live active and longer lives. Proper medical care including taking medicine known as antiretroviral therapy (ART) can dramatically prolong the lives of many people infected with HIV and lower their chance of infecting others.
• HIV can be prevented. Today, more tools than ever are available to prevent HIV. In addition to limiting your number of sexual partners, never sharing needles, and using condoms correctly and consistently, you may be able to take advantage of medicines that prevent HIV such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis(PEP).

For more facts about HIV, go to Learn About HIV or Learn more about the impact of HIV among Hispanics/Latinos.