THE RESOURCES...prevention committee
Why should we focus on HIV Prevention?
More than 25 years after the first report of a handful of cases of a nameless deadly disease among gay men in Los Angeles, there are more than 1 million persons living with HIV in the United States; about one-fifth of those with HIV have not yet been diagnosed and are unaware of their infection. The "new" syndrome identified over 25 years ago has become one of the deadliest epidemics in human history, killing more than 25 million people around the world, including more than 500,000 Americans. In the last decade, major advances in prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS have prolonged and improved the lives of many, but despite this, the epidemic is far from over.
The simple fact is this: to defeat HIV and AIDS, we need to reduce the number of people who become infected. With no cure and no vaccine for AIDS currently available, the only way we can stop HIV is to prevent its spread. Every community has its own unique prevention needs: African Americans, Latinos, gay men, bisexual men, women and youth.
Perhaps one of the most important prevention tasks is to face the disparate levels of infection between Blacks, Latinos and Whites. Among women, this disparity is even more pronounced.
 
What are we doing in Sacramento to prevent HIV?
Sacramento County and other government and private entities fund a variety of prevention activities. There are programs targeted at gay men, at people of color and at youth. And while the efforts are productive, the scope is limited and the number of people served each year is small. CARES works with people who have HIV to stop the spread of HIV through social network testing and partner counseling and referral services.
What is the ideal for HIV Prevention?
The CDC recommends these prevention strategies:
- HIV prevention counseling, testing and referral services – Individuals at risk for HIV should be offered counseling regarding methods to eliminate or reduce their risk and testing so that they can be aware of their status and take steps to protect their own health and that of their partners. Rapid HIV tests provide the opportunity to provide tests results quickly.
- Partner notification, including partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) with strong linkages to prevention and treatment/care services – Sexual or needle-sharing partners of HIV-infected persons have been exposed to HIV and are at-risk of being infected. Partner notification services locate these individuals based on information provided by the patient and provide counseling and education about the exposure as well as services to prevent infection or, if infected, linkages to care.
- Prevention for high-risk populations – Prevention efforts for high-risk populations, including HIV-infected persons, are critical to reducing the spread of HIV. Efforts ensure that those at highest risk of acquiring or transmitting the virus are given the tools necessary to protect themselves and others.
- Health education and risk reduction (HE/RR) activities – Health education is a powerful tool in the prevention of HIV. HE/RR services include individual, group, community and structural interventions as well as prevention case management and outreach for high-risk HIV-negative and HIV-positive persons. They also include health communication and public information programs for at-risk populations and the general public.
- Perinatal transmission prevention – When the HIV status of a pregnant woman is known, treatment of the woman and her infant and other preventive measures can substantially reduce the risk of HIV transmission to the infant.
- School-based HIV Prevention – Schools have a critical role to play in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behavior patterns.
What are the issues we need to address when it comes to HIV prevention?
- How can we eliminate the distressing racial disparities among African Americans, Hispanics and gay men?
- How do we address the impact of crystal meth?
- How can we address the staggering rates of STDs in the Sacramento area?
- How can we reach out and provide education to Hispanics, African Americans and gay men?
- How do we measure the effectiveness of prevention activities?
HIV Prevention Information
CDC HIV Prevention Strategic Plan: Extended Through 2010
Left Behind: Black America in the Global AIDS Epidemic
Saving Ourselves: The State of AIDS in Black America 2008 And What We’re Doing About It
The Crisis of HIV/AIDs Among Latinos/Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico
Holding Open Space – AIDS Project Los Angeles
Strengthening the Response to HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis in Latino Communities
The Blueprint – Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Through the Power of Prevention
HIV Testing in Emergency Departments – A Primer on Issues and Strategies for Health Departments
Me Not Meth Campaign
STOP AIDS Project – San Francisco
California HIV Prevention Indicators
Methamphetamine Treatment: A Practitioner’s Reference
CDC Best-Evidence HIV behavioral interventions
The Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) project- Science Based Interventions that Work
The Role of STD Detection and Treatment in HIV Prevention - CDC Fact Sheet
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