There have been many well-documented and successful strategies employed in the United States and throughout the world to curb the devastating expansion of the AIDS epidemic. Nevertheless, the cost in lives and lost productivity remains a staggering problem. In the United States there were 42,011 new HIV infections reported in 2009 and worldwide there are about 2.5 million new infections annually.
HIV/AIDS affects people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds in Florida and is the third leading cause of death among women between the ages of 25 and 44, although it is the sixth leading cause of death in men in that age group. In 2010 it was the fourth leading cause of death among black men and second among black women.
As healthcare workers, we have the ability to encourage practices that are known to reduce the spread of AIDS including behavioral change, prompt treatment of sexually transmitted disease, encouraging use of clean injection drug equipment, routine HIV testing, patient education and counseling, and consistent condom use. The goal is to eliminate new HIV infections entirely in Florida and throughout the United States and the world. We all play a vital role in accomplishing this goal.
Resources
Florida State Resources
Department of Health
Bureau of Communicable Disease
HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis Section
Physical Address:
2585 Merchants Row Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL
Mailing Address:
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A09
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1714
Phone: 850 245 4300
Fax: 850 245 4297
diseasecontrol@doh.state.fl.us
http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Disease_ctrl/aids/index.html
National Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hiv/default.html (HIV/AIDS)
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/ (Workplace Safety & Health)
cdcinfo@cdc.gov
404 639 3311
800 CDC-INFO (800 232 4636)
TTY: 888 232 6348
CDCNPIN—National Prevention Information Network
800-CDC-INFO/800 232 4636
800-HIV-0440/800 448 0440
FDA-Approved Test Kit
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/ApprovedProducts/
LicensedProductsBLAs/BloodDonorScreening/InfectiousDisease/UCM080466
KNOW Curriculum Sources
Washington State Department of Health
HIV Prevention and Education Services
http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/hiv.htm
800 272 2437
Global Resources
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS)
http://www.unaids.org/en/