November 19, 2010
Brian Campbell, SAMHSA.
An estimated 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV and one out of five individuals doesn't know they are infected.1World AIDS Day is observed annually on December 1 to raise awareness about HIV, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services2 and the first ever National AIDS Strategy in the United States.
Although injection drug use is a well understood risk for HIV, non-injection drug use also plays a role. The intoxicating effects of drugs and alcohol can alter judgment and lead people to engage in impulsive and unsafe sexual behaviors contributing to the spread of HIV.4
AIDS.gov, the federal portal for HIV/AIDS information, has created the Facing AIDS initiative, to help raise awareness and understanding about HIV/AIDS and promote HIV testing. The Facing AIDS initiative is based on the idea that by sharing our faces and personal messages on World AIDS Day (December 1), we can make a difference in the response to HIV.
In support of AIDS.gov's efforts, we are asking the behavioral health community to Face AIDS with us at SAMHSA. Here's how Facing AIDS works and how we can stand together in this important cause:
Thank you for taking the time to Face AIDS with us.