December 1, 2013 is the 25th Anniversary of World AIDS Day. Sponsored by the World AIDS Campaign, this day is an opportunity for people across the globe to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV (an infection that destroys the immune system, weakening a person’s ability to fight diseases) and AIDS (advanced HIV infection), and to commemorate those who have lost their lives to the disease.1 Between 2011-2015, the theme of World AIDS Day is:
Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination. Zero AIDS Related Deaths.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the US, yet awareness continues to lag as 20% of those with HIV are unaware of their infection.2 Globally, HIV/AIDS is one of the world’s most important health concerns as over 70 million people have been infected and more than 35 million people have died of causes related to AIDS worldwide since the epidemic’s beginning.3 World AIDS Day’s theme "Getting to Zero,” signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all as most people living with HIV/AIDS do not have access to prevention, care, or treatment.
Building knowledge about important topics such as the global scale of HIV/AIDS, symptoms, and how HIV is contracted are steps that can be taken in order to increase awareness and prevention. TRAIN, the nation’s premier learning management network for professionals and volunteers who protect the public’s health, offers local, state, and national trainings that public health professionals can utilize in educating their constituents about HIV/AIDS. Some of TRAIN’s online trainings include:
To embark upon trainings within the HIV/AIDS subject area, create a TRAIN account today and search for, register, and complete courses. If you or your organization is interested in participating in activities during World Aids Day and during the month of December, visit the World AIDS Campaign’s site.
1. World AIDS Campaign. World AIDS Day. http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/world-aids-day/. Accessed October 23, 2013.
2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV in the United States: At A Glance. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/ataglance.html. Accessed November 4, 2013.
3. World Health Organization. HIV/AIDS. http://www.who.int/gho/hiv/en/. Accessed November 4, 2013.
4. AIDS.gov. The Global HIV/AIDS Crisis Today. http://aids.gov/federal-resources/around-the-world/global-aids-overview/. Accessed November 4, 2013.