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HIV: The never-ending discussion, a new look
Hi all,
So first of all, i really like this website. In truth it is full of people very often paranoid with the dangers of HIV, and this website gives some comfort, and tries to look at the real risks of say, catching hiv from a once-off unprotected encounter. And we are all paranoid from our one "mistake", (me too, i recently did something as above) and we come here and we feel better about ourselves during the 6 week window period (or whatever).
And the point is that the statistics, both by Huntersfield and sort of repeated again and again as a mantra on this website, are like 1 in a 1000, or 1 in 200,000 (for unprotected vaginal intercourse), and you would have to have unprotected vaginal for i don't know how long before you caught HIV etc etc. And we all end up leaving the website feeling a little better.
BUT there are no links. No published papers, and by this i mean PEER REVIEWED (i am a scientist myself, not in this area of course, but know the importance of peer reviewed publications). And if you go to say peer reviewed papers like this one http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2569597?dopt=Abstract and you read the abstract, you see that the chances of catching HIV from a one time sexual encounter if you have vaginal intercourse with someone who has an STI (genital ulcers) is 43%...much closer to 1 in 2 rather then 1 in 1000 or 1 in 2000.
And so i have a feeling i am going to get shot down here by a bunch of people from the med help community, but my suspicion is that our repeating of undocumented statistics might be more fear than logic, trying to make ourselves feel better. All comments are welcome. Are we not just trying to make ourselves feel better on this forum? Just because i keep saying something is true doesn't make it so. And peer reviewed science is peer reviewed science.
Thanks for replies,
Yours faithfully
Sam
So first of all, i really like this website. In truth it is full of people very often paranoid with the dangers of HIV, and this website gives some comfort, and tries to look at the real risks of say, catching hiv from a once-off unprotected encounter. And we are all paranoid from our one "mistake", (me too, i recently did something as above) and we come here and we feel better about ourselves during the 6 week window period (or whatever).
And the point is that the statistics, both by Huntersfield and sort of repeated again and again as a mantra on this website, are like 1 in a 1000, or 1 in 200,000 (for unprotected vaginal intercourse), and you would have to have unprotected vaginal for i don't know how long before you caught HIV etc etc. And we all end up leaving the website feeling a little better.
BUT there are no links. No published papers, and by this i mean PEER REVIEWED (i am a scientist myself, not in this area of course, but know the importance of peer reviewed publications). And if you go to say peer reviewed papers like this one http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2569597?dopt=Abstract and you read the abstract, you see that the chances of catching HIV from a one time sexual encounter if you have vaginal intercourse with someone who has an STI (genital ulcers) is 43%...much closer to 1 in 2 rather then 1 in 1000 or 1 in 2000.
And so i have a feeling i am going to get shot down here by a bunch of people from the med help community, but my suspicion is that our repeating of undocumented statistics might be more fear than logic, trying to make ourselves feel better. All comments are welcome. Are we not just trying to make ourselves feel better on this forum? Just because i keep saying something is true doesn't make it so. And peer reviewed science is peer reviewed science.
Thanks for replies,
Yours faithfully
Sam
On the contrary, statistics are always being quoted by Doctors on this forum. Go to anyone scared about their risk and paid the doctor to answer their email. Your risk is 1 in 10,000 your risk is 1 in 1000 etc.
Surely the doctors are long term ppl of the forum? :)
We all know it "CAN" happen. All i am saying is that if a journal shows that is "CAN" happen in 42% of cases of once off unprotected vaginal, then its more than it "CAN" happen. Its actually a very big risk. Its one in two, not 1 in 1000. And that is more than a "CAN".
Surely the doctors are long term ppl of the forum? :)
We all know it "CAN" happen. All i am saying is that if a journal shows that is "CAN" happen in 42% of cases of once off unprotected vaginal, then its more than it "CAN" happen. Its actually a very big risk. Its one in two, not 1 in 1000. And that is more than a "CAN".
"the" statistics" you state above are without variables. they are quoted for someone who had unprotected sex with someone who is hiv...whenever a std, ie. herpes that is active with sores, of course the stats change.
i think if you will notice...most of the long term ppl on this forum who assess ppl, RARELY quote statistics. we all know it "CAN" happen on the first exposure.
if ppl would USE CONDOMS...we wouldnt have to be having this discussion, now would we?
i think if you will notice...most of the long term ppl on this forum who assess ppl, RARELY quote statistics. we all know it "CAN" happen on the first exposure.
if ppl would USE CONDOMS...we wouldnt have to be having this discussion, now would we?
If you believe you have been exposed to HIV and want help to judge your risk, would like advice about HIV testing, or have questions about the effectiveness of condoms or risks associated with specific sexual practices we can help
Basically i will tell you statistics are BS.If you have unprotected sex with someone who is hiv positive and com out negative...its sheer luck.
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