December 1 is World AIDS Day. AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV attacks the body’s immune system, making it hard to fight disease. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, about 40 million people around the world live with the HIV virus. But you can protect yourself from getting infected with HIV. Visit the following Web sites for more information about HIV and AIDS.
"HIV and AIDS: How to Reduce Your Risk": familydoctor.org - Visit familydoctor.org to learn more about HIV and AIDS. Find information about risk factors, HIV tests and prevention. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by the end of 2005, 17.5 million women worldwide were infected with HIV. "HIV Infections in Women" provides specific information on how HIV infection affects this population. On familydoctor.org, you can also learn about medicines to treat HIV and AIDS, nutrition and exercise for people who are HIV positive, and how to cope with an HIV-positive diagnosis. Information in Spanish is available on this site.
http://www.hivtest.org: National HIV Testing Resources - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 180,000 to 280,000 people in the U.S. are HIV-positive but are unaware of it. Knowing your HIV status will help you take the best care of yourself. Visit this site to learn where you can get tested and for information on the different types of HIV tests.
www.aidsinfo.nih.gov: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Visit this site for information about the prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS. Learn more about the research on a vaccine to prevent HIV and find information on drugs that help control HIV and AIDS. This site also offers many fact sheets covering a wide variety of HIV- and AIDS-related topics, such as the side effects of treatment.
http://www.worldaidsday.org: World AIDS Day - This Web site educates about how to stop HIV prejudice and provides a link to donate to the HIV and AIDS cause. You can also read personal stories about strength and hope in the face of this deadly disease.
