World AIDS Day, December 1st is your opportunity to join with people around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. Around 40 million people are living with HIV throughout the world. According to the California Department of Public Health, nearly 700 of those people live in Ventura County. These numbers increase in every region every day, and our central coast community is not immune to the epidemic.
AIDS is not a curable disease, but it is preventable. It is our responsibility to become educated about this disease, promote awareness and combat the stigma surrounding it.
The high-risk factors for transmitting HIV are well known. Engaging in unprotected sex with one or multiple partners, and sharing needles or other equipment when injecting drugs, including steroids, are all things that should definitely be avoided.
What you might not know is that the proportion of women diagnosed with HIV has been on a steady increase for the last twenty years among all racial and ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) women accounted for 25% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2005.
Closer to home, 60% of newly-diagnosed Californians age 19 and younger are girls. Following patterns in other parts of the country, the main mode of transmission in this group is heterosexual intercourse.
Studies by the CDC suggest that a lack of awareness about their male partner’s risk factors for HIV infection (such as unprotected sex with multiple partners, sex with men, or injection drug use) may be a significant barrier for prevention for women.
It’s clear that we have more work to do in our local communities to stop the spread of HIV. While AIDS is a worldwide academic, it affects us too, and each of us must do our part to promote prevention in our community. Here’s how you can raise awareness on World AIDS Day:
1) Wear a red ribbon on Dec. 1. The ribbon is an international symbol of HIV awareness. Wear it as a sign of support for the millions of people worldwide who are living with HIV.
2) Get tested for HIV. Confidential testing is available year-round at the Planned Parenthood Thousand Oaks Center, located at 166 North Moorpark Road, #104. Call for an appointment: (805) 777-3841. Testing is also available at Moorpark College’s Student Health Center. Call for an appointment: (805) 378-1413. Both services are free for qualified individuals.
3) Talk about HIV and STI’s with your partner. Learn as much as you can about each partner’s past behavior (sex and drug use) and consider the risks to your health before you have sex.
By talking openly, acting responsibly, and working together we can stop the spread of HIV. Take action on World AIDS Dec. 1.
Sincerely,
Haley Davies
Planned Parenthood, Public Affairs Intern VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood
