2023-06-27 15:00:01
It’s time to prioritize! The era of taking care of ourselves has arrived, and the importance of personal well-being is more evident than ever. Each individual has their own way of taking care of themselves, whether it’s going for a walk, keeping a journal, or practicing yoga. However, it is essential make decisions that support our physical and mental well-being, in order to lead a healthier and more balanced life. Within these decisions, prioritizing our sexual health, such as getting tested for HIV as part of our routine medical care, it has become crucial.
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Although we might think that concerns regarding HIV are in the past by the turn of the century, in reality remains a persistent public health issue in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by the end of 2021 1.2 million people were estimated over 13 years of age living with HIV in the country, and 13% of them unaware of his condition.
Yeah, Significant advances have been made in HIV prevention and treatment in recent decadesbut discrimination, homophobia and transphobia, and even HIV-related stigma among other social barriers, have contributed to health disparities within disadvantaged communities. Thus, further underscoring the need for all of us to give priority to get tested.
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National HIV Testing Day is celebrated on June 27, a perfect occasion to highlight the importance of testing as a critical step to help end the HIV epidemic in the United States. According to the CDCit is recommended that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of their regular medical care, and some people may benefit from testing more frequently.
Having secure knowledge of our HIV status is an essential part of our self-care, since it provides us with valuable information to stay healthy.
Regardless of test resultsit’s important to talk to a doctor to get the best care and appropriate HIV prevention options, such as the use of lubricated condoms, safer sex practices, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications.
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“Increasing HIV testing is crucial to our collective efforts to end the HIV epidemic in our communities and contributes to the overall goal of changing the way we view sexual health and self-care, especially in the most marginalized communities. We have witnessed the disproportionate impact of HIV on Black, Hispanic/Latino and LGBTQ+ communities in our own environment, and we recognize how raising awareness regarding testing is a key piece of removing stigma and promoting access to prevention and treatment,” says Dr. June Gipson, an educator, president and CEO of My Brother’s Keeper, a Gilead grant recipient, in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
It’s understandable that we can be nervous regarding taking an HIV test, but knowing our HIV status is extremely important. To help dispel negative emotions and stigma associated with HIV testing, Gilead has created Press Playan online resource that encourages testing as part of our self-care routine. Press Play provides information on what to expect during an HIV test, steps to take following the test, and other tools, such as finding HIV testing centers or requesting free home tests, to make testing easier.
This National HIV Testing Day, it’s time to pay attention to our sexual health by making HIV testing a part of our routine. For more information and resources, including where there are tests near you or free home test kits, visit www.hivtestnow.com.
PRESS PLAY, GILEAD, and the GILEAD logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners..
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