Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Willow, and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, and this lesson is part of the unit Healthy intimate relationships: How can sex be safe? During this lesson, we are going to be talking about sexual and sensitive content, so for this lesson, we require you to have an adult with you.

If, at any point, you do feel worried or uncomfortable, it's really important that you stop the lesson and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start with today's lesson.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to explain what HIV is, how it's transmitted, its transmission rates, and how it affects the immune system.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

Laura says that we need to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should always listen properly before we make any assumptions or before we decide how to respond to someone else.

When we disagree with someone else, it's important to challenge the statement and not the person themselves.

Andeep says that we'll need to respect each other's privacy.

We can discuss any examples, but we shouldn't use any names or descriptions that could identify anyone, including ourselves.

If we want to share a story or an experience, we can refer to someone as "my friend." This means that we're not going to give away any identifying information.

Next, Jacob says, "No judgment." We can explore any beliefs or misunderstandings that we have about a topic without fear of being judged by others.

And finally, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in with discussion.

We should never put anyone on the spot, as this can make people feel uncomfortable.

We're now going to take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

HIV is short for human immunodeficiency virus.

This is a virus that attacks the immune system.

Next, we have CD4 cell.

This is a type of white blood cell that is targeted and destroyed by HIV.

Next we have AIDS or Aids.

This is short for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

This is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.

Next we have transmission.

This means passing an infection from one person to another.

And finally we have ART.

This is short for antiretroviral therapy, a treatment for HIV that helps manage the virus.

Today's lesson is split into three learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called What is HIV? Our second learning cycle is called How is HIV transmitted? And our last learning cycle is called What are the prevention and treatment options? Let's make a start on our first learning cycle.

What is HIV? Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight infections and diseases.

Unfortunately, there is no cure at the moment, but treatment can help to manage it effectively and people living with HIV can expect to live a normal lifespan.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing already.

What does HIV stand for? Is it A: human immune virus, B: human immunodeficiency virus, or C: human infection virus? Can you remember? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that B is correct.

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.

Well done if you got this right.

Nurse Daniel says that "HIV attacks and destroys CD4 cells which are crucial for the immune system.

HIV is different from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.

That occurs when the immune system is severely damaged.

However, with proper treatment, most people with HIV in the UK do not develop AIDS." Let's do another check for understanding.

What types of cells does HIV destroy? Is it A: the CD4 cells, B: platelet cells, or C: red blood cells? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that A is correct.

HIV destroys CD4 cells.

Well done if you remembered this.

HIV can be transmitted through specific bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.

It's commonly thought that only certain groups of people can get HIV.

However, this is not true.

This is a misconception.

HIV can affect anyone regardless of their age, their gender, their sexual orientation, or their socioeconomic status.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false? HIV can be transmitted through specific body fluids.

What do you think? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is true, but why? You might have said that HIV can be transmitted through specific bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.

Well done if you got this right.

It's now time to put your learning from this learning cycle into practice.

For the first part of this task, I'd like you to read the following statements and decide if they're true or false.

HIV can be transmitted through breast milk.

HIV can be transmitted by hugging.

Only certain groups of people can get HIV.

And HIV attacks your red blood cells.

Can you decide if each of those statements are true or false? Pause the video and we'll go through the correct answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

There was only one true statement here, which was HIV can be transmitted through breast milk.

The other statements, HIV can be transmitted by hugging, only certain groups of people can be affected by HIV and HIV attacks your red blood cells, these are all false statements.

Well done if you said this as well.

For the second part of this practice task, I'd like you to rewrite the false statements so that they are correct.

Remember the false statements were HIV can be transmitted by hugging, only certain groups of people can get HIV and HIV attacks your red blood cells.

Pause the video and we'll go through what you might have said in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what your rewritten statements might look like.

For statement one, HIV can be transmitted by hugging.

You might have said instead that HIV cannot be transmitted by hugging.

Instead, it's transmitted through specific bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.

For statement two, only certain groups of people can be affected by HIV.

You might have said that HIV can affect anyone regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

And finally, for HIV attacks your red blood cells, you might have said instead that HIV attacks and destroys CD4 cells, which are white blood cells crucial for the immune system.

Well done if your rewritten statements were anything like this.

It's now time to move on to our second learning cycle.

How is HIV transmitted? Transmission rates of HIV depend on several different factors, including the type of exposure and the presence of other sexually transmitted infections, often called STIs.

Nurse Daniel says that "The type of exposure means how someone comes into contact with HIV in the first place." STIs can make it easier for HIV to get into the body.

This happens because STIs that cause sores such as herpes create open wounds that allow HIV to enter more easily.

STIs that cause inflammation such as chlamydia or gonorrhea make the skin more fragile and prone to tears.

Some STIs increase the number of CD4 cells in the genital area, which are the exact cells that HIV targets.

This is why treating STIs is important for reducing HIV transmission risk.

We're now going to do another check for understanding to see how you're doing so far.

Here's the sentence that I'd like you to complete.

STIs can cause sores or inflammation making it.

And then I'd like you to complete the sentence to explain why the presence of other STIs can increase the risk of HIV transmission.

Pause the video and we'll go through the completed sentence in a minute.

Well done if your completed sentence says STIs can cause sores or inflammation, making it easier for HIV to get into the body.

Well done if your sentence was a little bit like this.

Unprotected sexual contact has a higher transmission rate compared to protected sexual contact.

Dr.

Elsie says that "Using condoms during sex is an effective way to reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

Condoms are a type of barrier method of contraception.

They work by creating a physical barrier that stops bodily fluids like semen or vaginal fluids from passing between partners, which helps to prevent the spread of HIV." "Sharing needles and syringes also significantly increases the risk of HIV transmission." Nurse Daniel says, "Sharing needles and syringes is dangerous because it can transfer blood from one person to another.

If someone has HIV, it can travel in the blood left in the needle, putting others at high risk of infection." It's important to note that HIV cannot be transmitted through: casual contact, so things like shaking hands, hugging or kissing on the cheek; sharing foods, drinks or eating utensils; swimming pools or hot tubs; insect bites or animal bites; saliva, tears, or sweat, unless this is mixed with blood; toilet seats or door handles; coughing or sneezing; living or working with someone who has HIV; or sharing towels, bedding, or clothing.

None of these are ways that HIV can be transmitted.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Which type of sexual contact has the highest transmission rates for HIV? A: protected sexual contact, B: unprotected sexual contact, or C: there's no difference between them? What do you think? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that B is correct.

Unprotected sexual contact has the highest transmission rate for HIV.

Well done if you got this right.

Dr.

Elsie says that "Mother to child transmission can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding, but the chances of this can be reduced with proper medical care with appropriate treatment during pregnancy.

The risk of transmission from mother to child of HIV can be reduced to less than 1%." Finding out about HIV early and starting treatment straight away can help to stop transmission to others.

HIV treatment works by lowering the amount of the virus in the body.

When someone takes their medication consistently, the virus can become so low that it can't be passed on during sexual contact.

This is called U=U Undetectable = Untransmittable.

It's a proven fact: if the virus is undetectable, it can't be passed on to others.

This helps protect others and it also reduces the stigma around HIV.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is the statement true or false? Early diagnosis and treatment can greatly reduce the transmission rates of HIV.

Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is true.

It's true that early diagnosis and treatment can greatly reduce the transmission rates of HIV to others.

Well done if you got this right.

It's now time for our second practice task and well done for your hard work so far.

I'd like you to fill in the gaps in the paragraph to explain how HIV can be transmitted.

Transmission rates of HIV depend on blank factors, including the type of blank and the presence of other blank.

Unprotected sexual contact has an blank transmission rate compared to blank sex.

Sharing blank and syringes significantly blank the risk of HIV blank.

Mother to child transmission can occur during blank childbirth or blank, but the chances of this can be reduced with proper blank care.

Consistent HIV treatment can cause the virus to become undetectable, which is known as blank.

Where I've said the word blank, can you decide which word is missing? Pause the video and we'll go through the completed paragraph in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what your completed paragraph should look like.

Your completed paragraph should look like this.

Transmission rates of HIV depend on several factors including the type of exposure and the presence of other sexually transmitted infections or STIs.

Unprotected sexual contact has an increased transmission rate compared to protected sex.

Sharing needles and syringes significantly increases the risk of HIV transmission.

Mother to child transmission can occur during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding, but the chances of this can be reduced with proper medical care.

Consistent HIV treatment can cause the virus to become undetectable, which is known as U=U.

Well done if you had the correct words in the correct places.

We're now moving on to our final learning cycle.

What are the prevention and treatment options? There are ways to prevent the spread of HIV, such as using condoms during sexual contact, not sharing needles and syringes, taking the medication, pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, taking the medication post-exposure prophylaxis or called PEP.

Having regular HIV tests also helps to stop the spread.

This is known as "knowing your status," which means finding out whether someone has HIV.

If the virus is found early, treatment can begin straight away; helping to protect the person's health and prevent HIV from being passed on to others.

PReP is a medicine taken before sexual contact to protect against HIV.

It's for people who don't have HIV, but they may be at a higher risk of getting it.

It lowers the chance of getting HIV from sexual contact by around 99% when taken correctly.

It's important to note however that it doesn't protect against any other STIs.

PReP is freely available from NHS sexual health clinics after a health check.

PEP is a medicine taken after possible exposure to HIV, so for example, after unprotected sexual contact or a needlestick injury.

You must start it within 72 hours or three days; the sooner the better.

It's a four-week course of tablets that are taken daily.

PEP is not guaranteed to work, however, so it's used in emergencies only.

PEP can be accessed through NHS sexual health clinics or A&E in some cases.

Both PReP and PEP are usually not issued by GPs or by pharmacies in most places in the UK.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing.

I'd like you to complete the sentence with the missing words.

PReP is a medicine taken blank sexual contact to protect against HIV whilst blank is a medicine taken after possible exposure to HIV.

Which word's missing? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you say that the missing words were "before" and "PEP." The completed sentence should now be: PReP is a medicine taken before sexual contact to protect against HIV whilst PEP is a medicine taken after possible exposure to HIV.

Well done if you got this right.

Nurse Daniel says that "Getting tested for STIs is a responsible and normal part of looking after your health.

You don't need to wait for symptoms. Regular testing helps to keep you and your partners safe." You can order free SDI test kits online.

Many local councils and NHS services will post them to your home discreetly.

That means that it's not able to see what they are when they're delivered.

You can also visit a local sexual health clinic for free and confidential tests.

Dr.

Elsie says that "When you go for a test, a nurse or doctor might ask you some questions to make sure that you get the right tests.

This is nothing to worry about.

We're trained to help and not judge.

If you're feeling nervous, you could take someone that you trust with you.

Knowing your HIV status means that you can take action if needed, protect others and feel confident in your own health.

Testing helps to challenge stigma and shows that you take care of yourself and others." Let's do another check for understanding.

Which of the following are ways to prevent the spread of HIV? A: taking medication like PReP, B: using condoms during sexual contact, C: sharing needles, or D: regular STI and HIV testing? Which of those are ways to prevent the spread of HIV? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that the correct answers were A, B, and D.

We can prevent the spread of HIV by taking medication like PReP, using condoms during sexual contact and regular STI and HIV testing.

Well done if you got this right.

Without treatment, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS, the final stage of HIV infection.

AIDS is characterized by a severely weakened immune system making the body vulnerable to opportunistic infections and certain cancers.

However, with modern treatment, very few people with HIV in the UK develop AIDS.

Nurse Daniel says that "Antiretroviral therapy or ART is a treatment that helps people with HIV by lowering the amount of the virus in their body, protecting CD4 cells, which are needed to fight infections and stay healthy.

Therefore, a person will be more likely to avoid the virus' progression to AIDS." With effective ART, people living with HIV can live a normal lifespan, have healthy relationships and families, work and participate fully in society, achieve undetectable levels of the virus, meaning that they cannot transmit HIV to others.

Remember that this is called U=U.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is this statement true or false? Even with treatment, HIV will always progress to AIDS.

I'd like you to explain why you came up with this answer.

Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false.

You might have said that ART helps control HIV by lowering the virus in the body, protecting CD4 cells that fight infections and keep people healthy, lowering the chances of the virus developing into AIDS.

Well done if your answer was like this.

It's now time to move on to our final practice task and well done for your hard work in this lesson.

I'd like you to answer the following questions.

Number one, I'd like you to list three different ways that the transmission of HIV can be prevented, and number two, I'd like you to explain how ART helps people with HIV.

Pause the video and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

For question one, list three different ways that the transmission of HIV can be prevented, you might have said: using condoms during sexual contact, not sharing needles or syringes, and regular STI and HIV testing.

For question number two, explain how ART helps people with HIV, you might have said that ART lowers the amount of HIV in the person's body and protects CD4 cells, which are needed for a healthy immune system and will enable a person to fight infections and reduce their chances of developing AIDS.

Well done if your answers were anything like this.

We're now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we have learned that HIV attacks the immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells.

It's transmitted through bodily fluids and so it can affect anyone.

Transmission rates can vary based on factors such as type of exposure and presence of other STIs.

HIV can lead to AIDS if left untreated, which severely weakens the immune system.

However, with modern treatment, most people in the UK with HIV do not develop AIDS.

There are effective ways to prevent HIV like using condoms and medicines such as PReP and PEP.

There's also treatment like ART, which helps people with HIV to stay healthy.

During this lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or questions, and if you do, it's really important that you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also some resources on the screen that are there to help you too.

Well done for your fantastic hard work today.

I hope to see you again soon.