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The period of prioritizing self-care is right here, and the significance of private wellness has develop into extra obvious than ever. Whereas self-care seems to be totally different for everybody —from getting your steps in, to journaling, to working towards yoga—making decisions that help your bodily and psychological well-being is essential to serving to you reside a more healthy life. Prioritizing your sexual well being, together with getting examined for HIV not less than as soon as as a part of routine healthcare, is a vital and regular a part of self-care.
Although it may possibly appear to be issues round HIV ended with the flip of the century, it stays a persistent public well being precedence in america. Based on the CDC, on the finish of 2021, an estimated 1.2 million individuals in america aged 13 and older have been residing with HIV, and 13% of these individuals didn’t know that they had HIV.
Whereas progress has been made in stopping and treating HIV over the previous few many years, systemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, HIV-related stigma, and different societal obstacles have contributed to well being disparities amongst underserved communities, together with Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, and LGBTQ+ people, additional emphasizing the necessity for all to prioritize HIV testing.
Nationwide HIV Testing Day is June 27, and it presents a chance to highlight the significance of HIV testing as a vital step to assist finish the HIV epidemic in america. The CDC recommends individuals between the ages of 13 and 64 get examined for HIV not less than as soon as as a part of routine healthcare, and a few individuals might profit from getting examined extra typically.
Being certain of your HIV standing by means of HIV testing is a vital a part of your self-care as a result of understanding your standing provides you highly effective data that will help you keep wholesome. Regardless of the outcomes of your HIV take a look at, you may speak to a physician to debate the perfect HIV care or acceptable prevention choices for you, comparable to condoms with lube, safer intercourse practices, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs.
“Encouraging HIV testing is essential to our collective efforts to assist finish the HIV epidemic in our communities and ladders as much as the overarching purpose of adjusting how sexual well being, and self-care, are seen, particularly for probably the most underserved communities. We’ve seen firsthand the disproportionate influence of HIV on Black, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, and LGBTQ+ communities in our personal yard, and we acknowledge how elevating consciousness of testing is a foundational piece in the direction of dismantling stigma and selling entry to prevention or remedy providers.”
—June Gipson, PhD, EdS, President and CEO of My Brother’s Keeper, a Gilead grant recipient, in Ridgeland, Mississippi
Whereas it’s pure to really feel nervous about getting examined for HIV, there’s energy in understanding your standing. To assist deter unfavourable feelings and stigma related to HIV testing, Gilead created Press Play, a web based useful resource that encourages HIV testing as part of your self-care routine. Press Play offers details about what you may anticipate throughout an HIV take a look at, subsequent steps to take after a take a look at, and different instruments—together with choices for locating an HIV testing website or ordering a free at-home take a look at—to assist make take a look at taking simpler.
This Nationwide HIV Testing Day, take cost of your sexual well being by incorporating HIV testing into your self-care routine. To be taught extra and discover testing assets close to you, together with free at-home testing kits, go to www.hivtestnow.com.
PRESS PLAY, GILEAD and the GILEAD Emblem are emblems of Gilead Sciences, Inc. All different marks referenced herein are the property of their respective homeowners.
© 2023 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-UNBC-1556 06/23
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