HIV/AIDS Prevention
While new treatments help reduce the number of AIDS-related deaths, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that new HIV infections remain essentially the same. Women, people of color and young people are particularly at risk for becoming infected. It is estimated that there are 40,000 new HIV infections in the U.S. each year.
Currently, prevention is the only means for stopping HIV transmission. Increased funding of prevention is needed to ensure that effective, well-funded and well-documented programs targeting populations at risk can be implemented. Reducing the number of new HIV infections will result in less demand for expensive care services in the future.
Facts on HIV Prevention. State, local and federal HIV prevention efforts need to share the costs and responsibilities and be sure to address the needs of at-risk populations.
Risks of Abstinence-Only Education. Abstinence-only education programs teach youth that abstinence from sexual activity until marriage is the expected social norm and the only manner in which to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. These programs have serious health risks for young people, especially LGBT students.
Needle Exchange Programs. A myth exists that needle-exchange programs increase drug use. However, no scientific evidence supports this, and many needle-exchange programs are successful.
