How to Determine if Your Partner Is at Risk for HIV or AIDS
Inquire about your partner's profession., Ask about your partner’s sexual history., Ask your partner about recreational drug use., Ask your partner about their current health., Ask your partner if they have ever received a blood transfusion...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Inquire about your partner's profession.
Certain occupations put workers at risk for exposure to HIV through exchange of body fluids or contact with infected blood, but if certain precautions are taken, the risk can be drastically minimized.
Healthcare workers and medical staff can be at risk of HIV transmission if there is an accidental injury from a contaminated needle or other sharp object, or if contaminated fluid has come in contact with a healthcare worker's open wound, eyes, or mouth.Workers in the sex industry are at high risk for contracting HIV from sexual contact without condoms and potential drug use with contaminated needles.
If your partner has a history of sex work or has engaged in these risky activities, encourage them to seek HIV testing. -
Step 2: Ask about your partner’s sexual history.
This may be a difficult conversation to have, but this honest conversation is important for your health and for the health of your partner.Determine the number of past partners your significant other has had.
Start by asking, “How many partners have you had in the last year?” Then determine if protection against STDs, like condoms, was used by asking, “Did you or the other person use protection every time?” If the answer is no, encourage them to get tested and ensure that you and your partner use protection every time. , If your partner has a history of using or is presently using needles and syringes for intravenous drugs, including steroids, morphine, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines, they are at high risk for contracting HIV and should seek testing., People with HIV/AIDS often live normal and otherwise healthy lives, but if they currently suffer from Hepatitis C virus, inflammation of the liver, they should also get tested for HIV.
Hepatitis C and HIV are both transmitted through unprotected sex and intravenous drug use.
Both viruses often occur together, called co-infection.
Eighty percent of intravenous drug users who have HIV will also have Hepatitis C., Currently in the United States, the risk of contracting HIV through a blood transfusion is very low due to stringent screening of all donor blood.
If you are still concerned, ask your partner if they have been tested for HIV., The risk from contracting HIV from tattoos or piercings is low, but risk remains since both types of body modification are achieved by way of needles.
If the facility that your partner received their tattoos and/or piercings did not use single-use instruments or sterilize their repeat-use equipment between customers, there is a chance for HIV infection., In contact sports, players might come into proximity of someone else's blood or bodily fluid through an open cut or sore.
Though it is possible to come into contact with someone else’s body fluid in contact sports, the risk is minimal., Within four weeks of infection, 80% of people will exhibit flu-like symptoms, which most commonly include fever, sore throat, severe headaches, and a body rash.
Less common symptoms include fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, ulcers in the mouth or on the genitals, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, and night sweats., If not treated during early-stage symptoms, the virus (HIV) will progress to immune deficiency (AIDS).
These late stage-symptoms include rapid weight loss, recurring fevers, recurring sores in the mouth and on the genitals and anus, pneumonia, and chronic fatigue. , If you suspect that you or your partner have been infected, don't wait for symptoms to surface to get tested, as some people might not ever show early-stage symptoms.
You should especially seek testing if you do exhibit any of these symptoms after engaging in any risky behavior or accidentally coming into contact with contaminated fluids in your workplace.
HIV can take up to 3 months to develop antibodies, which means it can take up to 3 months to register on an antibody test.
For a more immediate result, you can inquire about a RNA test, which is more expensive but it can detect the virus 9 to 11 days after infection.You can seek testing from your regular physician, and women can seek testing from their gynecologist.
If you do not have a regular practitioner that you see, or if you'd like to remain anonymous, you can seek testing at some Planned Parenthood clinics or you can use the AIDS.gov clinic locator., Since HIV spreads through body fluids, including vaginal fluid, semen, and rectal fluids, having sex without barriers, like condoms, exposes you and your partner to the virus.
Use a condom every time you have sex, no matter how well you know your partner or how long you have been together., Any drug use through needles or syringes puts you at high risk for HIV infection.
If you do use intravenous drugs, do not share needles with anyone and use only sterile drug injection equipment., If your job brings you in contact with contaminated needles and body fluids, be sure that you are thoroughly knowledgeable about your workplace's policies of gathering and disposing of contaminated matter.
Adhere to the policies and procedures every single time because they are in place to protect you. -
Step 3: Ask your partner about recreational drug use.
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Step 4: Ask your partner about their current health.
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Step 5: Ask your partner if they have ever received a blood transfusion.
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Step 6: Inquire about facilities where you partner received tattoos or piercings.
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Step 7: Ask your partner if they have played or currently play contact sports.
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Step 8: Know the early-stage symptoms.
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Step 9: Know the late-stage symptoms.
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Step 10: Get tested.
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Step 11: Practice safe sex every time.
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Step 12: Don't inject drugs.
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Step 13: Follow procedures and policies in the workplace.
Detailed Guide
Certain occupations put workers at risk for exposure to HIV through exchange of body fluids or contact with infected blood, but if certain precautions are taken, the risk can be drastically minimized.
Healthcare workers and medical staff can be at risk of HIV transmission if there is an accidental injury from a contaminated needle or other sharp object, or if contaminated fluid has come in contact with a healthcare worker's open wound, eyes, or mouth.Workers in the sex industry are at high risk for contracting HIV from sexual contact without condoms and potential drug use with contaminated needles.
If your partner has a history of sex work or has engaged in these risky activities, encourage them to seek HIV testing.
This may be a difficult conversation to have, but this honest conversation is important for your health and for the health of your partner.Determine the number of past partners your significant other has had.
Start by asking, “How many partners have you had in the last year?” Then determine if protection against STDs, like condoms, was used by asking, “Did you or the other person use protection every time?” If the answer is no, encourage them to get tested and ensure that you and your partner use protection every time. , If your partner has a history of using or is presently using needles and syringes for intravenous drugs, including steroids, morphine, cocaine, heroin, and amphetamines, they are at high risk for contracting HIV and should seek testing., People with HIV/AIDS often live normal and otherwise healthy lives, but if they currently suffer from Hepatitis C virus, inflammation of the liver, they should also get tested for HIV.
Hepatitis C and HIV are both transmitted through unprotected sex and intravenous drug use.
Both viruses often occur together, called co-infection.
Eighty percent of intravenous drug users who have HIV will also have Hepatitis C., Currently in the United States, the risk of contracting HIV through a blood transfusion is very low due to stringent screening of all donor blood.
If you are still concerned, ask your partner if they have been tested for HIV., The risk from contracting HIV from tattoos or piercings is low, but risk remains since both types of body modification are achieved by way of needles.
If the facility that your partner received their tattoos and/or piercings did not use single-use instruments or sterilize their repeat-use equipment between customers, there is a chance for HIV infection., In contact sports, players might come into proximity of someone else's blood or bodily fluid through an open cut or sore.
Though it is possible to come into contact with someone else’s body fluid in contact sports, the risk is minimal., Within four weeks of infection, 80% of people will exhibit flu-like symptoms, which most commonly include fever, sore throat, severe headaches, and a body rash.
Less common symptoms include fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, ulcers in the mouth or on the genitals, muscle and joint pain, nausea and vomiting, and night sweats., If not treated during early-stage symptoms, the virus (HIV) will progress to immune deficiency (AIDS).
These late stage-symptoms include rapid weight loss, recurring fevers, recurring sores in the mouth and on the genitals and anus, pneumonia, and chronic fatigue. , If you suspect that you or your partner have been infected, don't wait for symptoms to surface to get tested, as some people might not ever show early-stage symptoms.
You should especially seek testing if you do exhibit any of these symptoms after engaging in any risky behavior or accidentally coming into contact with contaminated fluids in your workplace.
HIV can take up to 3 months to develop antibodies, which means it can take up to 3 months to register on an antibody test.
For a more immediate result, you can inquire about a RNA test, which is more expensive but it can detect the virus 9 to 11 days after infection.You can seek testing from your regular physician, and women can seek testing from their gynecologist.
If you do not have a regular practitioner that you see, or if you'd like to remain anonymous, you can seek testing at some Planned Parenthood clinics or you can use the AIDS.gov clinic locator., Since HIV spreads through body fluids, including vaginal fluid, semen, and rectal fluids, having sex without barriers, like condoms, exposes you and your partner to the virus.
Use a condom every time you have sex, no matter how well you know your partner or how long you have been together., Any drug use through needles or syringes puts you at high risk for HIV infection.
If you do use intravenous drugs, do not share needles with anyone and use only sterile drug injection equipment., If your job brings you in contact with contaminated needles and body fluids, be sure that you are thoroughly knowledgeable about your workplace's policies of gathering and disposing of contaminated matter.
Adhere to the policies and procedures every single time because they are in place to protect you.
About the Author
Nancy Brooks
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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