serve people and help prevent the spread of HIV,” explained Azul Mares Del Grasso, who is the National HIV Testing Tour Manager for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
The collaborations between community organizations and AHF are providing opportunities to promote the need for HIV testing as a good preventive health strategy; highlight local service agencies; and serve as a way to put HIV back on top of the list for a national conversation.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, among the more than one million people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S., an estimated 21% do not know that they are infected. Also, significant percentages of Latino and African American communities, say they would like more information about HIV testing, including the different types of tests available (33%); when to get an HIV test (28%); where to get tested (24%); how to ask a health care provider for an HIV test (22%); and how to bring up testing with a partner (21%). Statistics like these have driven the testing tour to fulfill the need to keep people informed and increase access to services.
The actual HIV testing takes only a few minutes, requiring a simple prick of the finger, a band aid and explanation of the results. Certified testers also take the opportunity to engage individuals in conversations about sexual behavior, answer questions and provide information for safer and healthier life choices.
“Our question is simple – how can we help you today? It’s a simple process. The reason for that is over the past several years we’ve seen a significant increase in new HIV infections per year. We went from 40,000 to 52,000 per year, which tells us as providers that we’re not doing something right,” shared Mares Del Grasso. “What does work is to combat the stigmas ...