Health Beyond HIV Campaign Offers Advice to Avoid or Manage Comorbidities

For Illinois HIV Care Connect, Valek & Co. created and implemented the currently running Health Beyond HIV Campaign. Through website and social media content on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Threads, the campaign features information that can help persons living with HIV to avoid or manage chronic medical conditions, known as co-morbidities.

According to the National Institutes of Health, persons living with HIV are at elevated risk for developing chronic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. These individuals are also at elevated risk for developing coinfections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis.

However, persons living with HIV can reduce risks associated with these co-morbidities by receiving antiretroviral therapy, or ART, exactly as prescribed to suppress HIV to undetectable levels in the blood. Other ways to reduce these risks include receiving recommended health screenings, preventive care and vaccinations and by following healthy diet and exercise regimens. Lowering these risks increases a person’s chances of living a long and healthy life.