Debunking Myths and Promoting Facts about HIV
Julia Lechuga, PhD, MA; Jacob M. Bleasdale, PhD, MS
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a public health concern in the United States (U.S.). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31,800 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2022. Misconceptions and myths about HIV transmission stand in the way of combating HIV stigma and ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. Below we debunk some of the most common myths regarding HIV and provide resources to learn more about the status of the HIV epidemic in the U.S.
Myths and Facts about HIV
Myth: HIV is spread through everyday contact, like kissing and hugging.
Fact: HIV is only spread through direct contact with certain bodily fluids from a person living with HIV. These bodily fluids include blood, pre-seminal fluid, semen, vaginal or rectal fluids, and breast milk. It is NOT spread through casual contact with someone living with HIV, such as kissing, hugging, or sharing a toilet seat.
Learn more about how HIV is and is not transmitted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Myth: I will get HIV if I have sex with a person living with HIV
Fact: There are a lot of ways to remain HIV-uninfected while still having sex with a partner who is living with HIV.
Get undetectable. People living with HIV who are on treatment and have an undetectable viral load (that means, the amount of virus in someone’s body is so low, it not detectable on a lab test) cannot transmit HIV to a sexual partner.
Read more about undetectable = untransmittable and how you can raise awareness of the U=U campaign from the Prevention Access Campaign.
Take PrEP. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis is medication taken by an HIV-uninfected person to greatly reduce their chances of acquiring HIV if they are exposed to the virus.
Learn more about how PrEP works, if it’s right for you, and the different kinds of PrEP you can take from HIV.gov.
Use condoms and lube. Internal and external condoms are great ways to prevent HIV transmission. Using condoms with water- or silicone-based lubricant also reduces the chance the condom will break and prevents tears from occurring on the skin.
Learn more about how using condoms and lube can help prevent HIV transmission.
Myth: HIV only affects LGBTQ+ individuals
Fact: Any individual who is sexually active can acquire HIV. Although the number of HIV cases are greatest among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (67%), individuals who have heterosexual contact are the second group most affected (22%). Black and Latine individuals are more than twice as likely to acquire HIV. Between 2018 and 2022, the number of HIV cases:
- Increased 20% among Latine gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
- Increased 42% among Latine transgender individuals
- Increased 11% among Latine individuals who have heterosexual contact
Believing that only certain individuals are more likely to acquire HIV can lead to negative beliefs about people living with HIV and perceiving that one is immune from acquiring it. These beliefs can discourage prevention and a prompt diagnosis and treatment linkage.
There are many resources available online that provide additional information on HIV prevention methods.
Myth: Individuals who inject illegal substances are the ones at greatest risk of acquiring HIV
Fact: Misuse of legal substances such as alcohol is one of the greatest risk factors for HIV. Individuals who report alcohol misuse are more likely to engage in sexual behaviors that increase the risk of HIV acquisition such as having multiple sexual partners and inconsistent condom use during sex. This is because misusing alcohol can lead to fuzzy thinking and poor decision making. About 21.7% of individuals 12 years and older report alcohol misuse.
Individuals who misuse alcohol are:
- Two times more likely to have multiple sex partners.
- One and a half times more likely to have unprotected sex.
Alcohol misuse is defined as:
- For women: Four or more drinks on any day or eight or more per week
- For men: Five or more drinks on any day or 15 or more per week
Use this assessment to examine your drinking behavior and potential strategies to reduce harmful alcohol use.
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