[BLOG] One-in-Four Women — National Women & Girls HIV Awareness Day
Written by Public Health Intern Kameryn Gannon.
One in four people living with HIV in the United States are women. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks your body’s immune system —the system protecting you from germs and sickness. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
Are You at Risk?
In Michigan, Black women accounted for 9.1% of new HIV diagnoses in 2023. Most women who acquire HIV do so through anal or vaginal sex, certain body fluids, or sharing needles and drug injection equipment.
You may have a higher risk if you:
- Have unprotected sex
- Have injected illegal drugs, either now or in the past
- Had sex with someone who has HIV
- Have sex with both men and women
- Have a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
Symptoms of HIV
Early symptoms of HIV can mimic the flu The following symptoms may last between two and four weeks:
- Fever and chills
- Headache and fatigue
- Muscle aches and joint pain
- Sore throat and mouth sores
- Rash
- Diarrhea
These symptoms are common in other illnesses. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
Preventing HIV
There are many tools you can use to protect yourself and stop the transmission of HIV, including:
- Using male or female condoms correctly every time you have sex.
- Never sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment.
- Routinely taking prescribed PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) if you are at higher risk for HIV.
- Taking PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), a short course of HIV medication, after potential exposure.
Get Tested at The Corner Health Center
The Corner Health Center offers a variety of judgment-free, gender- affirming sexual health services, including HIV testing and counseling, to support the prevention, treatment, and management of HIV/AIDS. To schedule an appointment with one of our providers, call (734) 484-3600.
To stay up to date on all things related to The Corner Health Center, visit www.cornerhealth.org, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok (@CornerHealthCenter).