HIV / AIDS is increasing among women both in Canada and around the world. HIV / AIDS was once considered a disease that primarily affects men who engage in sexual activities with other men. But the face of AIDS is changing. Injecting drug users and heterosexuals run the same risk of contracting HIV / AIDS as anyone else if they are not careful.
The percentage of AIDS cases reported in Canada among women has steadily increased over the years. Before 1995, only 6.4% of reported cases were women, in 2000 that number almost doubled to 12% and in 2003 it had more than doubled to 25.2%. This increase in reported cases of HIV / AIDS primarily affects women in Canada between the ages of 15 and 49. An estimated 36% of new infections in Canada are women, and Newfoundland has the highest proportion of infections among men and women; For every three men in Newfoundland who test positive there is one woman who tests positive, in Ontario this ratio is 17 to 1.
The main causes of HIV / AIDS infection are unprotected sex and intravenous drug use. Most of the reported cases are the result of unprotected sex with an infected partner, although more than a third of the cases are due to intravenous drug use.
Many women receiving intravenous treatment may be sex workers and may not always use protection with clients when they are working, or may participate in certain activities that may contribute to the spread of HIV / AIDS infection.
Many women between the ages of 15 and 49 may also have multiple partners in their life, one of whom was (or is) positive. There are an estimated 20,000 Canadians who are positive and do not know it – even with proper HIV / AIDS detection, it can sometimes take three to six months for HIV antibodies to become detectable antibodies in the bloodstream.
There are many ways that women can protect themselves against infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS:
Always practice safe sex, using condoms is the easiest way to protect yourself from infection and pregnancy. Birth control methods like the pill do not protect against AIDS or any other STIs.
If you are an intravenous drug user, do not reuse or share needles with anyone at any time.
Get Tested – If you’ve had unprotected sex or shared needles, get tested within three to six months of the occurrence to be sure.
If you are considering having unprotected sex with a long-time partner, get them tested, many people are infected and don’t even know it.
For more information on how to protect yourself, contact your local AIDS committee or visit your family doctor.