Everybody is at risk of HIV, and everybody needs to know how to take action to protect themselves from the virus. But in some groups the prevalence of HIV is higher.
Often this is simply a numbers game. If you’re a member of a community with high HIV prevalence, you’re more likely to come across someone who has HIV and contract it yourself . Those groups are Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM), partly because the rate of transmission is higher with anal sex. Then it’s people from the Black African community, intravenous drug users, sex workers, Latinx people, and others. A particular worry is people who can’t access the treatment and educational resources required, such as prisoners, or people detained in immigration detention centres.
A real problem preventing access to treatment is stigma. Not only is the virus stigmatised, but the minorities which it affects are often stigmatised too, gay and bisexual men being but one example. This can lead to mental health complications and addictions issues, which can sometimes increase risky behaviours that can lead to HIV infection.