March 10, 2010

National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Today commemorates the fifth annual observance of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Today is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of women and girls. Women and teenage girls make up more than a quarter of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases. Every 35 minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with HIV, with the majority becoming infected through their partner’s high-risk behavior and injection drug use.

Most of the public view HIV/AIDS as a man’s disease, but the truth is HIV/AIDS is among the leading causes of death for women of childbearing age. HIV disproportionately affects women of color and AIDS is now the leading cause of death for Black women ages 25 to 34. Due to rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies, more young women are putting themselves at risk for acquiring HIV, reinforcing the need for more access to HIV education and prevention.

Today for National Women and Girl HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, come together with women in your community to help eradicate HIV stigma, and racial and gender disparities in access to awareness, prevention, testing, treatment, and care.

Women and girls can take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS by:

• Getting a HIV test and encourage other to get tested
• Avoid engaging in high-risk behaviors
• Talk about HIV prevention with family, friends and coworkers
• Empowering oneself to protect their own sexual health
• Providing support to those living with HIV/AIDS
• If pregnant, make sure you receive a HIV test at initial prenatal visit and again at 28-32 weeks

Know the ABC’s of HIV: Abstain, Be Faithful, and Use Condoms if engaging in risky behaviors. Get tested and know your status!