In 1981, a strange health affliction began affecting gay men in the United States’ largest cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. Many people were dying quickly, and no one knew why. When scientists first discovered it was a disease that could destroy the body’s immune system, there was nothing they could do about it. There were no medications, no one knew how to prevent it, and it was spreading throughout the world. The following year, in 1982, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave this affliction a name—acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)—but it took until 1984 for researchers to discover the virus that causes AIDS. That virus would officially be called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 1986, and it has been known as that ever since.

As researchers learned more about HIV and AIDS, new medications were developed to treat HIV-positive people. By the mid-1990s, an “AIDS cocktail” was made available, which dramatically extended the life expectancy of people living with HIV. Since then, medications have continued to improve, and today HIV-positive people who follow proper treatment can live long and healthy lives with as little as one pill a day. Moreover, we know that HIV-positive people who follow treatment and have achieved an undetectable viral load cannot transmit the virus to others, otherwise known as undetectable = untransmittable, or U = U.

Additionally, detection methods have greatly improved over the years. In many places in the United States, people can walk into medical facilities and get screened for HIV in just a few minutes, receiving same-day results. There are also new medications, like pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and PEP, respectively), that can be taken by HIV-negative people to prevent them from contracting HIV, in addition to condom use. Getting tested regularly and, if diagnosed with HIV, beginning treatment as soon as possible are currently the best ways to prevent transmission and improve population health.

But while researchers have made great strides in detecting and treating HIV since the 1980s, access to testing and treatment varies worldwide. In Where We Go from Here, we meet three young men in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, whose lives are affected by HIV to varying extents. And while the experiences of Ian, Victor, and Henrique provide a glimpse of what it might be like to live with HIV in Brazil today, it is important to understand that HIV treatment in Brazil differs in some ways from treatment in the United States.

In Brazil, HIV treatment is fully funded through the nation’s Sistema Único de Saúde (Single Health System), whereas, as of December 2019, HIV treatment in the United States is generally not covered free of charge by the government. However, there are a number of resources, both federal and nonfederal, that are available in the US if you find yourself diagnosed with HIV, including private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, the Health Center Program, and more. Eligibility for assistance programs can vary by personal circumstance and location. If you are in the US and looking for testing locations near you, have a question about HIV and AIDS, or have recently been diagnosed with HIV and do not know where to turn, the best thing to do is to contact your state’s HIV/AIDS hotline or the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636). Whatever your circumstance may be, know that there are resources out there for you.

Some resources*:

HIV/AIDS hotlines by state: hab.hrsa.gov/get-care/state-hivaids-hotlines

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/hiv

AIDS Healthcare Foundation: aidshealth.org

Advocates for Youth: advocatesforyouth.org/issue/hiv

US Department of Health & Human Services: hhs.gov and hiv.gov

*The information presented here is current as of December 2019 but may be subject to change.