Act Against AIDS on National HIV Testing Day- June 27th

Refocusing National Attention on the HIV Crisis in the United States

National HIV Testing day is June 27^th and is right around the corner – A day dedicated to promoting HIV testing among all individuals and to encourage people to take pride in knowing their status.

After three decades of AIDS, there is still an urgent need to increase awareness of HIV and to address the importance of prevention and testing. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 50,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV each year, and nearly 18,000 lives are taken from AIDS annually. Despite such astounding figures, research has shown declining awareness and concern about AIDS among the American public, and many individuals at highest risk of infection either do not recognize their risk or believe that HIV is no longer a serious health threat.

Act Against Aids, a five-year national campaign launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House, features multiple communication campaigns and extensively utilizes mass media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet). Each targeted campaign, with its own unique objectives and audiences, uses an effective mix of channels and strategies to deliver HIV prevention messages that are compelling, credible, and relevant.

 

Two major obstacles must be addressed in the battle against HIV in the United States:

•  Stigma- Ongoing stigma about HIV or about those at risk of infection continues to prevent too many from seeking testing or treatment.
•  Complacency- Too many Americans do not recognize the magnitude of the HIV crisis and that the nation’s sense of urgency has waned since the early days of the epidemic.

 

Help make a mark in the fight against AIDS.

Let’s stop HIV together by:

• Getting the facts -Learn the basics of HIV and AIDS and take steps to protect yourself and others.
• Getting tested -Go get tested! It’s easy, free, fast, and most importantly confidential.
• Getting involved -Share your story, start conversations, make a difference, and support others who may be living with HIV.

 

Check out more information on HIV awareness and advocacy concerning gay and bisexual young men of color, by visiting our Campus Pride Resource HERE. 

For more information on HIV transmission, testing, prevention, and online resources, please visit the Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign website HERE.

---

Other Campaigns under the Act Against Aids initiative include:

Take Charge. Take The Test.  –Increasing HIV testing among African American women.

Testing Makes Us Stronger.  –Increasing HIV testing among black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

Reasons/Razones.  –Encouraging HIV testing among Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men.

HIV Screening. Standard Care.  –Encouraging primary care providers to routinely screen for HIV as a standard practice.

One Test. Two Lives.  –Encouraging perinatal providers to universally screen for HIV in all pregnant women

Prevention IS Care.  –Encouraging providers who treat HIV to help their patients stay healthy by reducing risky behaviors.