Western Colorado Aids Project


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Prevention of AIDS/HIV Infection

Prevention begins with knowledge and understanding.

The most reliable ways to avoid becoming infected with or transmitting HIV are:

Abstain from sexual intercourse (i.e., oral, vaginal, or anal sex).
Be in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.
Abstain from sharing needles and/or syringes for non-prescription drugs.

HIV and STDs
All partners should get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) before initiating sexual intercourse.

Having another STD increases by two to five times the likelihood a person will become infected with HIV and increases the likelihood an infected person will transmit HIV.

If a person chooses to have sexual intercourse with a partner whose infection status is unknown or who is infected with HIV or another STD, a new condom should be used for each act of intercourse.

Upcoming HIV Specialty Care Clinics

2008 Clinic dates:

Grand Junction Clinics

June 25
July 9
July 30
Sept 3 Group Medical Visit
Sept 10
Sept 17

Durango Clinics
Sept 12

Summit Clinic
July 2

Grand Junction Clinics are held at the St. Mary's Family Practice; Durango Clinics are held at the San Juan Basin Health Department and the Summit Community Care Clinic

HIV Testing
4th Monday & 2nd Friday of each month at WestCAP. Coupons available to Marillac patients for free HIV testing at the WestCAP office.

Special thanks to:
The Bright Mountain Foundation

HIV and Injection Drug Users
Injection drug users, their partners, and their children account for at least 36% of all AIDS cases reported in the U.S. through 1999 ². For injection drug users who cannot or will not stop injecting drugs, using sterile needles and syringes only once remains the safest, most effective approach for limiting HIV transmission.

HIV and Pregnancy
Pregnant women should be routinely counseled and voluntarily tested for HIV. Early diagnosis allows a woman to receive effective antiretroviral therapies for her own health and preventive drugs (e.g., Zidovudine, also known as ZDV) to improve the chances that her infant will be born free of infection.