Be a Leader in the Fight against HIV/AIDS: Participate in World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is December 1, 2007. This year’s theme is “leadership.” According to the World AIDS Campaign website, experience has clearly shown that significant advances in the response to HIV are possible when there is strong and committed leadership. However, leaders are not always just the people in the highest positions, but also anyone in families and communities who demonstrates powerful actions, innovation and vision. The Campaign hopes that this year’s theme will help encourage leadership on AIDS within all levels and sectors of society.
A December 2007 report of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), reveals that, although global HIV prevalence has leveled off and the number of new infections has fallen, AIDS is still among the leading causes of death globally. The report estimates that in 2007, 33.2 million people will be living with HIV, 2.5 million people will be newly infected and 2.1 million people will die of AIDS.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 million persons currently live with HIV in the U.S.; of these, approximately 25 percent are unaware of their HIV infection and at risk for infecting others. A November 2007 CDC report shows that there are significant disparities in the rates of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. The report reveals that blacks accounted for 50% of all HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in 2004. Also, males accounted for 73% of all HIV/AIDS cases among adults and adolescents. In addition, men who have sex with men accounted for 65% of cases among men.
Make Your School a Leader in Preventing the Spread of HIV
The Department of Health and Human Services reports that in 2005, an estimated 5,172 young people ages 13 to 24 were diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, representing approximately 14 percent of the persons diagnosed that year. In addition, African Americans accounted for 60 percent of HIV diagnoses in people ages 13-24.
Schools play an important role in educating kids about behaviors that put them at risk for HIV infection. Given the current data, there is an increased need to promote prevention messages in minority populations. Implementing culturally appropriate Coordinated School Health Programs (CSHP) is one means schools can use to get children and adolescents to focus on and practice healthy behaviors.
World AIDS Day is also a great time to teach kids about the impact of HIV/AIDS around the world and to promote the need to prevent the spread of the disease. The United Kingdom World AIDS Day website offers some ideas for schools to commemorate the Day such as selling red ribbons in the school or telling students to wear at least one red article of clothing. Other useful HIV/AIDS resources include AIDS.gov, CDC’s Healthy Youth website, as well as CDC’s National HIV Testing Resources.
NSBA’s School Health Programs website also has a few resources related to HIV/AIDS including links to websites related to the issue and an HIV/AIDS Policy Development 101 Packet which is accessible online or that can be ordered free of charge. In addition, NSBA’s School Health Programs recently published Living with HIV/AIDS: Students Tell Their Stories of Stigma, Courage, and Resilience. This book relays stories of students affected by the disease and includes recommendations for school policymakers. The book can be downloaded online or purchased for US $1.00 per copy through NSBA’s bookstore.
Sources: "World AIDS Day 2007 Theme: Leadership," World AIDS Campaign website, November, 2007; "What can your school do for World AIDS Day,? UK World AIDS Day website; "Health Disparties in HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis in the United States: Issues, Burden, and Response, CDC, November 2007; "Youth and HIV/AIDS," HHS; "Global HIV prevalence has levelled off; and "AIDS is among the leading causes of death globally and remains the primary cause of death in Africa," UNAIDS Press Release, November 20, 2007.