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Polls at The Body
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List of Polls
Current Poll: Obama and HIV
With Senator Barack Obama's election as 44th president, do you expect HIV/AIDS in the United States to gain more attention?
Yes
No
Current Poll: Cause of AIDS in the African-American Community
In your experience, how much of the African-American community appears to still believe that HIV doesn't cause AIDS?
Less than 5 percent
5 to 10 percent
11 to 20 percent
more than 30 percent
Current Poll: Lipodystrophy and HIV
Do you think progress has been made in finding out what causes lipoatrophy in people with HIV?
Yes
No
Current Poll: Women and HIV
Q: If you are an HIV-positive woman, who have you told about your HIV status?
not a soul
only health care workers
the few people who are closest to me
most of my family and friends
anyone I feel I can trust (including coworkers and acquaintances)
pretty much everyone I know
Current Poll: Years on HIV Medication
How many years have you been taking HIV medication?
One to three years
Four to six years
Seven to 10 years
Eleven to 15 years
More than 15 years
Current Poll: Most Important Area of HIV Treatment Research
What do you think is the most important area of HIV treatment research today?
Figuring out when, and with what, to start HIV treatment
Developing new meds for people with HIV drug resistance
Finding ways to fight HIV besides antiretrovirals
Creating HIV meds that don't cause difficult side effects
Finding causes for metabolic and cardiovascular problems in HIVers
Learning how gender and race affect the way HIV and meds work
Finding a cure
None of these
Election 2008
If the U.S. presidential election took place today, who would be your pick? Vote in our straw poll!
Answer Responses (%)
John McCain  28%
Barack Obama  67%
Another candidate  5%
This poll ran from 9/25/08 to 11/5/08 and received 2,401 responses.
Using The Body
Living with HIV? What do you mostly use TheBody.com for?
Answer Responses (%)
Talking with doctors at the "Ask the Experts" forums  22%
Connecting with other HIVers at the bulletin boards  3%
Reading overviews and tips on various topics  16%
Staying up to date on news and research  52%
Reading or listening to first-person stories  5%
None of these  3%
This poll ran from 6/19/08 to 9/24/08 and received 1,166 responses.
Starting Treatment
Which do you feel is better: Starting HIV treatment as early as possible or waiting as long as you can?
Answer Responses (%)
Starting early  60%
Waiting  40%
This poll ran from 4/16/08 to 6/19/08 and received 2,070 responses.
Life With HIV
HIV positive? What do you think is the most challenging part of life with HIV?
Answer Responses (%)
Getting diagnosed  17%
Telling others  35%
Dating  26%
Starting treatment  4%
Dealing with treatment side effects  15%
Taking treatment  3%
This poll ran from 12/26/07 to 5/5/08 and received 3,325 responses.
Medication Adherence
On HIV treatment? How good are you at taking your medications on time?
Answer Responses (%)
I've never missed a dose  62%
I miss only one or two doses a month  26%
I miss about a dose a week  4%
I miss more than one dose a week  7%
This poll ran from 2/29/08 to 4/16/08 and received 1,165 responses.
Sex, Privacy and Law
Should it be against the law for an HIV-positive person to have sex with someone without disclosing their status first?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes (I'm HIV positive)  30%
No (I'm HIV positive)  29%
Yes (I'm HIV negative)  24%
No (I'm HIV negative)  16%
This poll ran from 11/3/07 to 12/5/07 and received 425 responses.
Family Relationships
HIV positive? Generally speaking, how has your relationship with your family changed since you were diagnosed?
Answer Responses (%)
It got better  29%
It got worse  14%
It got worse at first, but now it's better  9%
It started out better, but then went downhill  5%
It hasn't changed  43%
This poll ran from 12/6/07 to 12/26/07 and received 475 responses.
Flu Shots
For those of you who have HIV: Are you planning to get a flu shot this year?
Answer Responses (%)
I already have!  46%
Yes, I'm planning to get one.  30%
I haven't decided whether to bother.  7%
No.  17%
This poll ran from 10/4/07 to 12/5/07 and received 2,100 responses.
HIV Testing Frequency
HIV positive? How many times were you tested for HIV before the test that came out positive?
Answer Responses (%)
Never  38%
Once or twice  25%
Three to five times  15%
Six to 12 times  11%
13 to 25 times  5%
26 to 50 times  2%
More than 50 times  4%
This poll ran from 8/27/07 to 10/4/07 and received 1,940 responses.
Hepatitis C and HIV
For people with HIV and hepatitis C: Have you ever taken hep C treatment?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes, and I cleared hepatitis C.  11%
Yes, but I didn't clear hepatitis C.  19%
I'm on treatment right now.  17%
No, I don't need treatment.  24%
No, I'm too scared to start treatment.  29%
This poll ran from 10/3/07 to 11/2/07 and received 58 responses.
Crystal Meth Use
HIV positive? Have you ever used crystal meth?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes, more than once a week  15%
Yes, once a week or less  7%
I used to, but I quit  20%
I've tried it once or twice  12%
Never  46%
This poll ran from 8/31/07 to 10/3/07 and received 251 responses.
HIVers and Dating
What do you think is the most difficult part about dating and finding love when you're HIV positive?
Answer Responses (%)
Disclosing your status  33%
Negotiating safer sex  8%
Getting rejected because you have HIV  37%
Finding the courage to get out and meet people  21%
This poll ran from 6/21/07 to 8/27/07 and received 494 responses.
Newly Diagnosed Women
What is the most important thing every newly-HIV diagnosed woman should know?
Answer Responses (%)
There are lots of support services -- you don't have to manage HIV alone  23%
Learning about HIV can save your life -- educate yourself  16%
You can live a long, healthy life with proper treatment  27%
Find a good doctor and stay on top of your health  6%
You can still have healthy children  5%
Having HIV does not mean you have to give up your love life  11%
None of the above  10%
This poll ran from 5/23/07 to 8/27/07 and received 2,278 responses.
Lipoatrophy and Switching HIV Meds
Have you switched HIV medications because of lipoatrophy?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  68.99%
No  30.76%
This poll ran from 6/21/06 to 5/22/07 and received 1,177 responses.
African Americans and HIV
If you could take the temperature of HIV stigma in the African-American community, would you say that it is:
Answer Responses (%)
sweltering  52%
pretty feverish  31%
simmering down  10%
cool as a cucumber  7%
This poll ran from 4/12/07 to 2/28/08 and received 1,211 responses.
HIV Treatment Research
What do you think is the most important area of HIV treatment research today?
Answer Responses (%)
Figuring out when, and with what, to start HIV treatment  3.83%
Developing new meds for people with HIV drug resistance  7.48%
Finding ways to fight HIV besides antiretrovirals  8.70%
Creating HIV meds that don't cause difficult side effects  7.26%
Finding causes for metabolic and cardiovascular problems in HIVers  2.66%
Learning how gender and race affect the way HIV and meds work  1.85%
Finding a cure  66.06%
None of these  2.16%
This poll ran from 3/7/07 to 5/25/07 and received 2,218 responses.
Supplements
HIV positive? How many different vitamins or supplements do you take each day?
Answer Responses (%)
none  29.28%
1-2  26.88%
3-4  13.24%
5-6  6.94%
7 or more  23.81%
This poll ran from 9/19/06 to 3/7/07 and received 7,155 responses.
HIV Discrimination
Have you ever faced discrimination because of your HIV status when going to a dentist?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  36.22%
No  63.78%
This poll ran from 7/14/06 to 9/19/06 and received 1,477 responses.
Needle Exchange Programs
How do you feel about needle exchange programs?
Answer Responses (%)
I support them completely.  59.33%
I support them, but wouldn't want a needle-exchange center near my home or work.  9.45%
I think they encourage drug use, but they're the only realistic way to make it safer.  21.38%
I'm completely against them.  9.85%
This poll ran from 6/5/06 to 7/14/06 and received 1,249 responses.
Serodiscordant Relationships
Since your HIV diagnosis, have you had a romantic relationship with someone who is HIV negative?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  47.53%
No  24.69%
I'm not sure; I didn't ask his/her status  9.63%
I haven't had a romantic relationship since my diagnosis  18.2%
This poll ran from 5/2/06 to 6/5/06 and received 2,006 responses.
AIDS Walk
Will you participate in an AIDS walk, marathon or bike-a-thon this year?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  44.69%
No  45.71%
I already have!  9.7%
This poll ran from 3/16/06 to 5/2/06 and received 1,857 responses.
Hurricane Help
Do you feel enough is being done to get vital care to HIV-positive people who have been impacted by the Gulf Coast hurricanes?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  12.75%
No; AIDS organizations and clinics should do more  8.36%
No; local and state governments should do more  5.02%
No; the federal government should do more  15.15%
No; everybody should do more  58.73%
This poll ran from 9/30/05 to 11/7/05 and received 957 responses.
Get Flu Shots
Do you have HIV? Are you planning to get a flu shot this year?
Answer Responses (%)
I already have!  43.48%
Yes, I'm planning to get one.  15.79%
I haven't decided whether to bother.  9.46%
No.  31.27%
This poll ran from 11/7/05 to 12/01/05 and received 1343 responses.
Global AIDS Progress
Do you feel we're gaining ground in the global fight against HIV?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes, we're making rapid progress  5.88%
Yes, it's slow but steady  41.21%
No, we're losing ground  25.88%
No, we're just running in place  27.03%
This poll ran from 12/1/05 to 1/4/06 and received 2434 responses.
Legalize Medical Marijuana
On Jan. 3, Rhode Island became the 11th U.S. state to legalize the medical use of marijuana -- even though the U.S. Supreme Court says medical marijuana is illegal under federal law. Do you think marijuana should be legalized for medical use nationwide?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  83.37%
No  16.67%
This poll ran from 1/4/06 to 2/1/06 and received 4825 responses.
Healthcare Racism
African American and living with HIV? Do you feel you've received unequal care from your doctor or other health professional because of your race?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  42.91%
No  57.09%
This poll ran from 2/1/06 to 3/16/06 and received 254 responses.
Heart Disease Risk
What do you feel is the best way to reduce heart disease risk if you're HIV positive?
Answer Responses (%)
Avoid taking certain HIV meds  5.67%
Avoid (or stop) smoking  39.47%
Regularly do aerobic exercise (like jogging)  27.55%
Stick to a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet  17.71%
Take meds to lower cholesterol and triglycerides  9.61%
This poll ran from 9/2/05 to 9/30/05 and received 864 responses.
HAART Side Effects
If you were just starting HAART, which of these side effects would you be most concerned about?
Answer Responses (%)
fatigue or anemia  8.39%
diarrhea, vomiting, etc.  21.54%
high cholesterol/triglycerides  3.03%
changes in body fat  28.82%
neuropathy (pain/numbness in extremities)  8.19%
depression, weird dreams, etc.  9.2%
rare, but serious, side effects (liver problems, allergic reactions, etc.)  20.83%
This poll ran from 8/2/05 to 9/2/05 and received 989 responses.
HIV Disclosure Before Sex
Do you feel that someone with HIV must disclose his/her status before having protected sex?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes, always.  76.43%
Only if it's a serious relationship.  7.22%
Only if his/her partner asks.  6.91%
No.  9.44%
This poll ran from 7/6/05 to 8/2/05 and received 3835 responses.
MDR Strain and Sex Behavior
Will the news about a rapidly progressing, multi-drug-resistant HIV strain in New York City change your sexual behavior?
Answer Responses (%)
Yes  57.42%
No  42.58%
This poll ran from 3/1/05 to 7/6/05 and received 411 responses.