Contents and acknowledgements

Introduction

1. What is HIV?

HIV biology: The immune system; HIV inside a cell; Medicines against HIV; The Future; Shoba’s story.

2. What are the symptoms of HIV infection?

HIV infection and HIV disease; The first weeks of HIV infection; The quiet stage of HIV infection; The beginning of HIV disease; Saleema’s story.

3. Who has HIV?

The epidemiology of HIV: A short history of the HIV epidemic; Global cooperation; How HIV is spread worldwide; Effects of HIV on the community; HIV and other diseases; How do we study the HIV epidemic? Min-Soo’s story.

4. Where are people with HIV?

A global picture: HIV in different regions of the world; Men, women and HIV; Africa below the Sahara desert; Latin America and the Caribbean; North America and Western Europe; South and Southeast Asia; Eastern Europe and Central Asia; Lon Chin’s story.

5. How can people avoid HIV?

Counseling about sexual behaviour: HIV and discrimination; helping people change behaviour; Casual contact and HIV; Sex and HIV; How to avoid spreading HIV through sex; Other factors that affect the spread of HIV. Olga’s questions.

6. Can I get HIV from going to the clinic?

The spread of HIV through ways other than sex: How HIV is spread; HIV, alcohol and drug use; HIV and blood transfusions; HIV in the clinic; HIV outside the clinic; Mothers, babies and HIV; Misunderstanding about HIV; Clarence’s story.

7. How does the test work?

Understanding the HIV test: History of the HIV test; HIV tests and antibodies; How the ELISA and Western blot tests work; When to test and when not to test; What does a test result mean; The HIV test and babies; Confidential and anonymous testing; Mandatory screening; Behaviour change; HIV testing and pregnancy; Jean-Patrice’s story.

8. Should I take the HIV test?

Counseling people about HIV testing: Assessing HIV risk; Counseling before the test; Waiting for the results; Counseling after the test; José’s questions.

9. How can I counsel someone who is different from me?

Social and cultural factors that affect the spread of HIV: Prejudice and discrimination; Cultural and religious beliefs; Social and economic status; Ethnicity; Education; Sexual practices; Sexual orientation; Drug and alcohol use; Age; Odette’s story.

10. How can I help?

Supporting a person with HIV: Facing challenges together; Denial and other emotions; Family counselling; Support groups; Social support; Home care; Support for social workers; Angela’s story.

11. How can I be a better teacher?

Training HIV health workers: How do we learn? Who will come to your training session? Where should you teach? Getting the session started; Helping others lead; Using language and methods that work; Serving as an example; After the session; Phan’s story.

12. How can we start our own HIV project?

Designing HIV prevention programs: What is HIV prevention; Community-based and government prevention efforts; Community outreach; HIV testing as part of prevention; How to create a good message; How to get the word out; Creative ways to publicize your message; Using the media; Carlo’s story.

13. How can we get help to start a project?

Funding strategies: Resources; Do we need funding? Using local resources first; Planning the project; What does your community need most? Making a budget; Types of funding organizations; What is a proposal; Writing a good proposal; Parts of a proposal; Keeping contacts alive; Maria’s story.

Appendix. Treating advanced HIV disease.

Note: there have been substantial advances in the treatment of HIV infection since this section was updated in 2005, particularly in pregnancy.

Glossary

Resources