“I do think about HIV quite a lot, as a young gay man it’s always something at the back of my mind. I did always think of it as something other people get until a friend of mine got it, that was a wake up call.” Rob, 22
“I have helped 200 black Africans and black Caribbeans get a HIV test. I have supported over 1000 black Africans and black Caribbeans living with HIV in the UK through advocacy, bereavement support, childcare and to become positive speakers.” Daisy, HIV support worker, 44
“The amount of people at the HIV clinic continues to increase each time I go and they are a mixed group of people. I am a straight man, it doesn’t just affect gay men.” Steve, 43
Read more stories that have been submitted about getting tested here.
Watch videos about living with HIV here.
HIV can affect anybody. Anyone who is sexually active or shares needles is at risk of getting or passing on HIV. However in the UK most people living with HIV are gay or bisexual men and black African men and women. Over 7,000 people are diagnosed with HIV in the UK every year.
Although gay men are most affected in the UK, more heterosexual people than gay men were diagnosed with HIV last year. On average most people diagnosed are in their 30s, but more than one in 10 diagnoses are among young people (aged 16-24); and five per cent of people diagnosed are over 55. There are also over 1,000 children living with HIV in the UK. Find out more about who is affected on the NAT website
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How has HIV affected you? Whether you are HIV positive, negative, a friend, a carer or you know of someone with HIV...we’d like to hear your view. Write, or send a video.
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