Owning HIV: Young adults & the fight ahead
A campaign created with Prevention Access Campaign and HIV advocates to inspire all of us to own the future of the HIV epidemic
We started out by asking an important question:
What do young adults know about HIV?
Owning HIV kicked off with a first-of-its-kind survey to better understand beliefs and perceptions about HIV among millennials and Gen Z in the U.S.
Survey findings uncovered a jarring trend of general confusion and insufficient knowledge about HIV and its transmission among survey respondents, along with the existence of high-risk sexual practices, poor disease management, and stigmatizing behaviors among young adults.
Selected 2019 survey findings by the numbers*
of those living with HIV agreed that someone may avoid sharing their status because of the fear of losing friends or family, or experiencing mental, physical, or emotional abuse
of HIV-negative millennials said they have avoided hugging, talking to, or being friends with someone with HIV
HIV-negative Gen Z and 23% HIV-negative millennial respondents said that they were not at all or only somewhat informed about HIV
of African American survey respondents living with HIV and 66% of HIV-negative African American survey respondents were unable to define "undetectable"
*Survey respondents self-reported their HIV status; the HIV-negative survey results include data from survey respondents who reported that their HIV status was unknown.
The facts about U=U
Undetectable Equals Untransmittable, or U=U, confirms through scientific evidence that sexual transmission of HIV is prevented when a person taking HIV treatment as prescribed reaches and maintains an undetectable viral load*.
U=U is an important public health message that supports the well-being of people by helping to dismantle HIV stigma. Talk to your doctor to learn more.
*<200 copies/mL for at least six months according to U.S. DHHS guidelines.
Meet Davina Conner, a mother and entrepreneur who became the advocate she needed
When Davina (Dee) Conner was diagnosed with HIV at age 27, she didn’t know who to turn to. “I really didn’t know anything about HIV. I had no education on HIV at all.” Dee shares, “I wasn’t given anything.”
Today, Dee is a mother of two, a college graduate, and the kind of advocate she herself needed when she was younger, providing the kind of hope, support, and guidance she knows firsthand to be valuable to women and young people everywhere.
“What matters to me most right now is inspiring people and motivating people to know that they can live with HIV,” says Dee, Creative Engagement and Outreach Specialist at Prevention Access Campaign. “Advocacy is my life. And putting a face to HIV is helping so many people – even people who won’t say anything – it’s helping them.”
“The HIV crisis in the U.S. is far from over. Fighting it starts with education. We must elevate a real conversation about HIV and sexual health among America’s young people and take proactive steps to educate about U=U and fight HIV stigma.”
founding executive director, Prevention Access Campaign and the U=U campaign
executive director, United States, Prevention Access Campaign
Meet the young advocates who are helping us spread the word
Interested in learning more?
Discover more findings and learn how we conducted the Owning HIV study.
