Health info

Positive Life NSW creates a range of practical health information to support people with HIV. Our health information is grouped into campaign work and fact sheets.

Campaigns

Our social marketing campaigns draw on the practices and learning of people with HIV. The materials reflect on issues and experiences such as the anxieties and challenges of living with HIV today; including the stresses before getting tested for HIV or dealing with a new diagnosis, as well as topics such as changing approaches to sex and relationships and living long term. People with HIV share the strategies, skills and learnings that have worked for them.

Factsheets

We are currently updating our 'Factsheet' series. Please note these are now available online only. The series is designed to help you easily access information and raise your awareness and knowledge of issues that impact on your health and wellbeing. We engage in partnerships to bring together current information from researchers, healthcare professionals and people with HIV to produce these for you.


	HIV and your mouth Fact sheet • 5 Dec 2011 Taking care of your mouth and teeth is a very important, yet often overlooked, part of maintaining general health. Oral health refers to the condition of your teeth, gums, mouth and throat. Their condition can significantly affect your physical and emotional wellbeing, including comfort, appearance, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, diet and speech, and further imapact upon other health conditions.
	Dealing with diarrhoea Fact sheet • 5 Dec 2011 Many people with HIV have experienced diarrhoea and this can have a significant impact on their quality of life. Diarrhoea can be caused by HIV itself, by viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections, by medicines or by contamination of food because of poor food hygiene. Stress and emotional problems are other causes. This fact sheet looks at ways some HIV positive people deal with diarrhoea.
	Just a part of life: disclosing to your child Fact sheet • 1 Dec 2011 This fact sheet looks at why and how you might disclose your HIV status to your child. It also shares some of the views and experiences of parents who have not yet disclosed. Every family’s situation is different, with different considerations and circumstances to weigh up.
	Living with HIV and hepatitis C Fact sheet • 21 Nov 2011 We know a lot about HIV, but some of us may not know as much about hep C. An estimated 13% of people with HIV in Australia also have hep C. Some people could underestimate the impact of hep C because they still see HIV as being more serious. This fact sheet is based on personal experiences and clinical expertise. It shares some strategies on living with HIV and hep C, and enhancing quality of life.
	Balancing act: HIV and cancer Fact sheet • 13 Oct 2011 As the HIV population ages there is an increasing risk of other health conditions like cancer, so regular monitoring is even more important. Knowing a lot about HIV doesn’t necessarily mean we know everything there is to know about our health. This fact sheet is based on personal experiences and clinical expertise.
	no more butts Campaign • 12 Nov 2009 If you are an HIV positive smoker, quitting is one of the most significant ways to improve your health. Research has shown that smoking cessation is one of the most important health prevention strategies people with HIV can do to reduce the incidence or impact of other health conditions associated with long term HAART (e.g. heart disease, strokes). Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking can lower your risk of cancer.
	KNOW THE FACTS - SEX AND HEP C Campaign • 1 Dec 2008 Hep C is usually transmitted by sharing injecting equipment (including needles, spoons, tourniquets and filters) as well as tattooing or body piercing with infected equipment. However, sexual transmission is also possible. In our booklet KNOW THE FACTS - SEX AND HEP C we outline latest information about Hep C, ways to avoid transmission and current treatment options. WARNING - content is unsuitable for people under 18 years.
	Sero Disco - Why let HIV get in the way of a good relationship? Campaign • 27 Nov 2008 Looking after each other in serodiscordant relationships (where one partner is HIV positive and one partner is HIV negative) includes everything from communication to condoms. In our new campaign Sero Disco (Why let HIV get in the way of a good relationship?) we try to give you some practical answers to questions you might have asked yourself at some time.
	Simple Pleasures Campaign • 23 Apr 2008 Simple Pleasures builds on material presented in our booklet GETTING ON WITH IT AGAIN Living longer with HIV. The workshop is designed to be used with HIV positive peer support groups or in HIV support groups facilitated by healthcare workers.
	SYPHILIS - GET THE FACTS Campaign • 13 Feb 2008 Anyone can get syphilis, but men who have sex with men account for 90% of the cases of infectious syphilis in New South Wales. About half of these guys are HIV positive. So if you are HIV positive, sexually active, and fucking with men, it makes good sense to have a regular blood test (i.e. every three months) for syphilis.