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Kim Ledgerwood
HealthyWomen's Editorial Director
As HealthyWomen’s editorial director, Kim oversees the production of all content and ensures that it is aligned with our mission, meets our high editorial standards and captures our brand voice.
Kim is an award-winning editor and copywriter with more than 30 years of experience. She started her career as a copywriter and broadcast producer at the Southeast’s largest full-service advertising agency, The Tombras Group. Since then, she has edited and written for a wide variety of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to indie authors across multiple industries and topics.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree in communications/advertising from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Kim lives in Maryland with her husband, three children and a menagerie of pets.
Full BioLearn about our editorial policies
HIV Testing: Knowing Your Status Can Save Your Life
Watch this video to learn who should get tested for HIV and how to get tested
Dec 02, 2024
Videos Medically Reviewed
This resource was created with support from Merck.
Video/Image | Voiceover/Audio |
HIV Testing Knowing your status can save your life | |
Sun comes up, a woman stretches and hops out of bed, goes through a morning routine | Narrator: Did you know that anyone who has sex without a condom is at risk of getting HIV? And you may not even know you have it because you may not have any symptoms. Or, if you do have symptoms, they can mimic other illnesses, like the flu or other viruses. |
Treatment is effective. | Thanks to medical advancements, treatment for HIV has come a long way. In fact, there are effective treatments available that can keep the virus from turning into AIDS and help you live a long, healthy life. |
Testing is easy. | The good news is that it’s pretty easy to find out if you’re living with HIV. |
The woman is getting her blood drawn | A simple blood test that comes back the same day or within just a few days can tell you your status. |
Where can you get tested? SUPERS or Icons: Healthcare provider’s office Hospital Health department Community HIV center | You can get an HIV test in several different places, including your healthcare provider’s office, or a local hospital, health department or community HIV testing center. |
Show woman testing at home Pharmacy Online together.takemehome.org Woman is on the phone | Y ou can even buy a self-test for HIV at a pharmacy or online. And the CDC offers free testing kits through its Together Take Me Home program. If you self test and get a positive result, it’s important to let your healthcare provider know so you can get started on treatment as soon as possible. |
Woman going into a clinic SUPERS: Who should get tested? Everyone over age 13 | Everyone over the age of 13 who is sexually active should get tested at least once. |
SUPERS (populate with VO) Unprotected sex A new sex partner Sex with HIV+ person Sharing needles Tuberculosis Hepatitis STI | And if you’re in a high-risk category, you should get tested more often. High-risk groups include people who have sex without a condom, people who have had a new sex partner since their last HIV test, people who have had sex with someone who is HIV positive, people who use IV drugs and share needles, and people with tuberculosis, hepatitis or any STI. |
SUPER: Know your status. Get tested. | Knowing your HIV status is important because it can keep you from transmitting the virus to others — and it can save your life. |
For more information, please visit HealthyWomen.org | |
This educational resource was created with support from Merck. | |
From Your Site Articles
- Black Women Are Getting HIV at Alarming Rates ›
- Protecting Yourself and Your Partner from HIV ›
- Preventive Health Screenings for Women ›
- HIV/AIDS Support Group Finder ›
- Women Can Get HIV, Too. That’s Why They Need to Get Tested for HIV. ›
- HIV Testing Guidelines - HealthyWomen ›
- Women and HIV Statistics - HealthyWomen ›
- Heather Gets an HIV Test - HealthyWomen ›
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Slide 1:
Hed: ¿Está tu asma bajo control?
Dek: Cuando el asma está bajo control, la vida es mejor. Aquà encontrarás lo que debes monitorear y lo que debes hacer luego.
Slide 2:
El asma no controlada altera la vida
El asma es un trastorno crónico. No puede curarse, pero el tratamiento correcto puede mantener los sÃntomas bajo control.
Para la mayorÃa de personas, un asma bien controlada no interfiere con sus actividades normales. Pero cuando el asma no está bajo control:
- Altera la vida cotidiana
- Es difÃcil de controlar
- Puede tener efectos a largo plazo en tu salud
Slide 3:
Señal 1: SÃntomas frecuentes a pesar del tratamiento
Piensa en cuán frecuentemente tienes sÃntomas de asma. Si tomas medicamentos tal como lo recetó tu equipo de atención, los sÃntomas no deberÃan ser frecuentes.
¿Experimentas sÃntomas de asma más de dos veces a la semana?
¿Son difÃciles de controlar?
¿Te despiertas en la noche por el asma?
Estas son señales de un asma no controlada.
Slide 4:
Hospitalizaciones o crisis graves
Un asma no controlada puede causar crisis graves.
Dos o más crisis de asma que requieren corticoesteroides orales en un año
Requerir hospitalizaciones más de una vez durante el último año debido a una crisis de asma
Esas son señales de un asma no controlada.
Slide 5:
Hazte estas preguntas
¿Tienes sÃntomas o usas un inhalador más de 2 veces a la semana?
¿Te despiertas con sÃntomas más de 2 veces al mes?
¿Reabasteces tu inhalador más de 2 veces al año?
Si la respuesta de una de estas preguntas es "sÃ", habla con tu profesional clÃnico.
Slide 6:
Identificación de las crisis
Pueden ocurrir crisis incluso con asmas no controladas.
El ejercicio, especialmente cuando el aire es seco y frÃo, es un desencadenante.
La exposición a elementos irritantes (tales como polvo, gases o vapores quÃmicos) o alérgenos (tales como polen o caspa de mascotas) puede causar sÃntomas.
Si tienes sÃntomas de crisis sin un desencadenante, habla con tu profesional clÃnico.
Slide 7:
Monitorea tus sÃntomas
Si no estás segura si tu asma está bajo control, monitorea tus sÃntomas. Registra cuándo ocurren y cuán graves son. Muestra este registro a tu profesional clÃnico.
Slide 8:
Identifica perÃodos de tiempo sin atención
Incluso si tienes señales de un asma no controlada, pueden haber periodos de tiempo sin atención, lo cual puede significar que tu trastorno no se trata inmediatamente.
Los perÃodos de tiempo sin atención son peores para pacientes que no son de raza blanca. Y los pacientes de raza negra e hispanos ya tienen un mayor riesgo de tener asmas no controladas. Defiende tus derechos para obtener la mejor atención.
Slide 9:
¿Qué es un asma grave?
Recibir un mejor tratamiento para un asma no controlada deberÃa reducir los sÃntomas para que no alteren tu vida cotidiana. Si implementas los cambios que se recomendaron, pero los sÃntomas no mejoran, podrÃas tener un asma grave. Necesitarás que te refieran a un especialista, tal como un neumólogo o alergólogo, para que te den un diagnóstico y un plan terapéutico personalizado.
Slide 10:
Hacer que el asma esté bajo control
Si tienes sÃntomas de un asma no controlada, habla con tu profesional clÃnico inmediatamente. Después de una evaluación, hablarán sobre opciones tales como un incremento de la dosis, probar o agregar otro medicamento, tal como un biofármaco, etcétera.
No esperes: Controla tu asma para que puedas disfrutar la vida nuevamente.
Este recurso educativo se preparó con el apoyo de Sanofi y Regeneron.
Kim Ledgerwood
HealthyWomen's Editorial Director
As HealthyWomen’s editorial director, Kim oversees the production of all content and ensures that it is aligned with our mission, meets our high editorial standards and captures our brand voice.
Kim is an award-winning editor and copywriter with more than 30 years of experience. She started her career as a copywriter and broadcast producer at the Southeast’s largest full-service advertising agency, The Tombras Group. Since then, she has edited and written for a wide variety of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 companies to indie authors across multiple industries and topics.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree in communications/advertising from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Kim lives in Maryland with her husband, three children and a menagerie of pets.
Medically reviewed by Jeffrey Kwong, DNP, MPH, AGPCNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN