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HIV Treatment vs. Prevention Strategies

The development of HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy) has greatly improved quality of life for HIV-positive persons and increased the time it takes for HIV disease to progress to AIDS. However, prevention is still an important goal, and several strategies are available to prevent HIV infection.

  1. Treatment

    • A group of antiretroviral drugs, which attack HIV at several different stages during the infection process, are normally used together in a treatment plan called HAART. This treatment delays the onset of symptoms and keeps HIV-positive people healthier for longer.

    Considerations

    • There is no cure for HIV. Antriretroviral therapy means that many HIV-positive people can live long and fulfilling lives. It is still possible to infect others even when taking HAART, and HAART only delays, not prevents, the onset of symptoms (see link in References).

    Prevention: Abstinence

    • Abstinence from vaginal, anal and oral sexual contact and from sharing hypodermic needles are the most effective methods of HIV prevention.

    Prevention: Condoms

    • The correct and consistent use of condoms, both male and female, is an important and effective method of preventing HIV infection (see link in Resources).

    Prevention: Outercourse

    • Outercourse is a term for forms of sexual expression, like kissing, heavy petting and manual sex that avoid insertive intercourse. Because HIV must cross the body's blood barrier to trigger an infection, avoiding intercourse greatly reduces your risk of contracting HIV (see link in Resources).

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