Free HIV Testing June 25th to 29th Offered in Capital Region

ALBANY, NY (06/20/2012)(readMedia)-- June 27 is National Free HIV Testing Day and across the county organizations dedicated to reducing the continuing spread of HIV/AIDS are working together to remind Americans of the need for sexually active people to get tested. Here in the New York Capital Region, five organizations will be providing free HIV testing services over five days, at 39 locations, in four counties.

FREE HIV testing services will be offered at locations throughout the Capital Region between June 25-29, 2012. Testing will be offered at some locations using an oral swab or finger stick. All testing is confidential and many organizations are offering incentives to those who come in for testing. While appointments can be made, most testing is available on a walk-in, first come-first served basis. A complete list of local free testing locations and times is available at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/uhpp/free-hiv-testing-days-39586.htm or at http://hivtest.cdc.gov/press_files/default.aspx. .

Estimates of the number of people in the United States currently living with HIV vary between 1.1 and 1.2 million. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in five people do not even know they are infected. As new medications are developed, it is possible for people living with AIDS to live longer, healthier lives-but only if they know they are infected and obtain medical assistance.

Local agencies collaborating for this year's Free HIV Testing Day campaign include AIDS Council of Northeastern New York, Albany County Department of Health, Columbia County Department of Health, Hudson Housing Authority, New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood, Whitney M. Young, Jr, and Women's Health Project.

National Free HIV Testing Day is promoted nationally by the National Association for People with AIDS and the US Centers for Disease Control. The GYT Campaign is sponsored by MTV, the Kaiser Foundation and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Youth Emphasis

Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood is putting a particular emphasis this year on reaching out to area youth about this event. In 2009, young persons ages 13 to 29 accounted for 39% of all new HIV infections in the US. HIV disproportionately affects young gay and bisexual men and young African Americans.

Just recently, the CDC issued the results of its 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which includes national data, as well as data from 43 states and 21 large urban school districts, on a variety of health behaviors, including teen sexual behavior.

The report included some good news: there have been significant improvements in sexual health since the survey began in 1999 including increases in condom use and dual use. According to the survey, 47.4 percent of 9th to 12th graders have had sexual intercourse. And among 33.7 percent of currently sexually active students in U.S., 60 percent reported that either they or their partner had used a condom during last intercourse. But, of course this means that 40% were NOT using a method of protection. Additionally, the report highlighted as a key concern a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of teens that have ever been taught in school about AIDS or HIV. Finally, the report noted that a large proportion of young people are not concerned about becoming infected with HIV and that only 12% of teens surveyed had been tested for HIV/AIDS.

UHPP Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Rob Curry, feels the report makes clear that "access to both reproductive health services and comprehensive sex education are essential tools in the campaign to safeguard the health and future of your youth; tools that we must not hesitate to utilize if we are to continue reducing rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Our commitment to this work," Curry continued, "is driven by the knowledge that helping young people avoid pregnancy and disease early in life enables them to stay in school, pursue meaningful careers and benefit all of society."