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The Need to Focus on HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness
Tuesday, February 14th, may be known to many in the world as Valentine’s Day, but a lesser known fact is that it is also Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Free testing is available throughout the U.S., and although it seems that our country may be overcoming the epidemic, there are other regions in the world that are still struggling to gain control over the sexually transmitted disease.
In sub-Saharan Africa, an area which sees 1.5 million new HIV infections a year, the fight against the disease is ongoing, in the hope of ensuring the health of future generations. As can be seen on the GHI page, countries affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the sub-Saharan region have 49% treatment coverage for adults. While 49% may sound like a decent amount, sub-Saharan Africa continues to have the most serious cases of the AIDS epidemic in the entire world.
But what is the most effective manner in which to fight the disease? Interventions have been touted as a possibility, but most programs are very small on the scale of the epidemic and have little effect on the prevailing numbers. Research towards a vaccine is ongoing, but what can be done right now?
Changing social norms and behaviors may be the answer. In a project done by the Demographic and Health Surveys program, there was “evidence of improvements in HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes,” but there were also “persistent high levels of sexual risk-taking and very low levels of voluntary counseling and testing coverage and condom use.” The DHS also noted that, in areas where prevention was taught in schools and condoms were available, rates of HIV were much lower. This suggests that changing the behaviors of both youth and adults may not be as tough a mountain to climb as previously thought.
Research done towards an HIV/AIDS vaccine and funding for programs that offer free HIV testing throughout the world are ongoing. However, the promotion of HIV testing, counseling, and use of protection in sexual encounters should also be a key focus of HIV prevention, as they may be the most effective.
References:
- http://dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-cr24-comparative-reports.cfm
- http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/CR24/CR24.pdf
- http://global-health-impact.org/disease.php#
- http://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/overview
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