On National HIV Testing Day, June 27, health officials in southwest Florida will focus testing and awareness efforts on minority populations, the Naples Daily News reports (naplesnews.com, 6/21). In 2006, Florida had the third-highest AIDS prevalence rate for African Americans and the fourth-highest rate for Hispanics in the United States.
According to the article, southwest Florida—which includes Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Sarasota counties—recorded more than 6,460 new HIV cases in 2007 alone.
Health officials told the Naples Daily News that they’ve had difficulty generating HIV/AIDS awareness among black and Hispanic males, many of whom avoid testing due to cultural taboo and widespread stigma.
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
