Together, these social determinants exert powerful effects. They increase people’s risk for HIV infection. They are associated with an increased likelihood that people will engage in behaviors that put them at risk. They also increase the risk of that behavior. They increase the odds that if someone engages in risk behavior that they will be exposed to HIV and that their partner will not have their infection under control and, thus, will have a greater biological ability to transmit HIV.

They also exert powerful effects on the health and survival of people living with HIV.

These effects do not work in just one direction. HIV risk and the health of people with HIV also affect their social and financial circumstances. Being at risk for HIV, getting HIV, and disease progression put people at risk for poverty, unemployment, homelessness, stigma, discrimination and homelessness.