HIV – The basics. Enabling you to make better decisions.

When dealing with any disease, its symptoms, diagnosis and its treatments it is important that you are familiar enough with the disease in order to make wise decisions.

The purpose of this article is to suggest some further reading so that you are at least able to answer such questions as the ones listed below. Below each question is a further reading link or links.

Ideally after this short study of HIV you will be aware of the nature of the virus, what you must do to avoid it and what to do if you fear you are at risk of infection. Safe sex and early testing are the two biggest weapons against HIV infection and as you will see in the following articles if used more widely they can greatly reduce the HIV infection rate in Australia.

-What is HIV exactly and is it the same thing as AIDS?

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CE8QFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FHIV&ei=F2nSUbvtE8yRiQesz4H4DQ&usg=AFQjCNFYkopTvR_vCUdrmW5JJNz8_PKuvg&bvm=bv.48572450,d.aGc

-How do I catch HIV? Can I catch HIV from oral sex? What exactly is safe sex when it comes to avoiding the HIV virus?

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aids.org%2Ftopics%2Faids-faqs%2Fhow-is-hiv-transmitted%2F&ei=L2nSUbSqDK2XigeZ0oDoAQ&usg=AFQjCNFQsbL32N_jD0ZbfpJp21Du1VAovA&bvm=bv.48572450,d.aGc

-What is the best way to test for HIV. Is HIV home testing accurate?

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CDgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Faids.about.com%2Fod%2Fhivtesting%2Fa%2Frapidhiv.htm&ei=SWnSUcCzH8iUiQeKs4CoBg&usg=AFQjCNG7yVYdssj2lDfhQPXPx1tZHa-16w&bvm=bv.48572450,d.aGc

-If I am diagnosed with HIV what are my treatment options and what is my life expectancy?

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mayoclinic.com%2Fhealth%2Fhiv-aids%2FDS00005%2FDSECTION%3Dtreatments-and-drugs&ei=g2nSUcmYAoqtiQeOi4GIBg&usg=AFQjCNHR7P50NX-x6rzukIFd1LiLegF8eA&bvm=bv.48572450,d.aGc

-Is HIV in Australia increasing or decreasing?

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEkQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Faustralia-sees-spike-in-hiv-infection-rate-10172&ei=nmnSUbyILYiWiQfxi4HoBA&usg=AFQjCNH2GJHs8E6OmXE99kBZfVQrJVkTMA&bvm=bv.48572450,d.aGc