Introducing the First Act Against AIDS Newsletter

“Act Against AIDS News: Acting Together to Prevent HIV/AIDS” is the quarterly e-newsletter of CDC’s Act Against AIDS initiative. The newsletter is designed to keep you informed about Act Against AIDS activities and help you identify opportunities to incorporate our campaigns, messages, and materials into your programs. Please feel free to share the information in this newsletter with your partners and others through relevant e-mail distribution lists, social media, blogs, and other appropriate channels.

New & Noteworthy

What’s your reason?

On June 6, Act Against AIDS announced its newest HIV communications campaign—REASONS/RAZONES. The campaign represents CDC’s first national effort to encourage HIV testing among Latino/Hispanic gay and bisexual men. The campaign asks gay and bisexual Latinos “What’s your reason?/¿Cuál es tu razón?” for getting an HIV test.

REASONS/RAZONES initially launched in Los Angeles (June 6) during LA Pride. A launch event is scheduled in Miami on June 26 to coincide with National HIV Testing Day. The campaign also had a presence in Washington, DC, at Capital Pride events (May 29–June 9). Roll-out in other cities will follow throughout the summer months. Visit hivtest.cdc.gov/reasons to learn more.

Help us spread the word about REASONS/RAZONES by forwarding this newsletter, downloading our materials, joining the conversation on Facebook and Twitter, and sharing your REASONS/RAZONES about how you or your organization is working to fight HIV at hivtest.cdc.gov/reasons.

Clinicians' Corner

Building Momentum for Routine Testing

More than six years ago, CDC released Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health Care Settings, advising routine HIV screening over risk-based screening in health care settings in the United States. Earlier this year, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released its recommendation that clinicians screen all adolescents and adults aged 15 to 65 years for HIV infection. Despite these recommendations, we know that countless opportunities to identify HIV-positive patients are still missed. We have an opportunity to capitalize on this momentum. CDC’s HIV Screening. Standard Care. (HSSC) campaign provides clinicians the necessary resources and tools they need to help promote routine HIV testing during patient visits.

To address specific population disparities, a new segment of the HSSC campaign Testing and Linking African Americans and Hispanic/Latino Patients to Care (TLC) has been developed that focuses on improving HIV outcomes among African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos. This campaign segment will help make HIV screening and linkage to care the clinical standard among health care providers who care for these patients. This campaign segment was developed in collaboration with the National Medical Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, and the National Black Nurses Association.

For more information, and to obtain campaign resources for your practice, visit the HSSC and TLC websites today.

Direct from the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention

HIV Surveillance Report

Earlier this year, CDC released its 2011 HIV Surveillance Report. This report presents data on diagnoses of HIV infection through 2011 and reported to CDC through June 2012. For the first time, CDC is able to present data on diagnosed HIV infection from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and 6 territories. This gives us a more complete picture of diagnosed HIV infection in the United States, and helps us examine potential trends in HIV diagnoses. And the data show that HIV remains a significant threat. From 2008–2011, the annual estimated number and rate of diagnoses of HIV infection among Americans has remained the same. In 2011, approximately 49,273 Americans were diagnosed with HIV—a number that can and should be reduced with the tools we have for prevention and treatment.

To put the surveillance report’s findings in context, CDC released a fact sheet, HIV in the United States: At a Glance, which draws on multiple sources to provide an overall picture of the HIV epidemic in the United States. You’ll find this fact sheet on the newly redesigned DHAP website: the primary access point for HIV science and public health information from CDC. Thanks for making our site one of the most visited HIV sites on the Internet!

Coming Soon...

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day, June 27, is an annual campaign to encourage people of all ages to "Take the Test, Take Control."

Too many people don't know they have HIV. In the United States, nearly 1.1 million people are living with HIV, and almost 1 in 5 doesn't know they are infected. Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, receiving medical care and taking medicines regularly helps you live a longer, healthier life and also lowers the chances of passing HIV on to others.

Visit the National HIV Testing Day website to find an HIV testing event in your area or to register an event you or your community is planning.

Save the Date: Upcoming HIV/AIDS Awareness Days

September 18
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day

September 27
National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

October 15
National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

December 1
World AIDS Day

You can also access additional HIV prevention and testing campaign information on the Act Against AIDS website.

Planning a HIV Awareness Day event? Tell us about it on Facebook.

Let's Stop HIV Together Engages Social Media Users Infographic

Act Against AIDS Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments about Act Against AIDS campaigns or for information about campaign materials or co-branding, please send an email to ActAgainstAIDS@cdc.gov or call 404-639-3239.