National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) is a national mobilization effort designed to encourage Natives (American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians) across the United States and Territorial Areas to get educated, get tested, get involved in prevention and get treated for HIV and AIDS.
HIV awareness and consistent, widespread access to stigma-free HIV testing is especially important in Native communities, because as many as 26% of the American Indian and Alaska Native people living with HIV infection do not know it. People who don’t know that they are living with HIV don’t seek the medical care available to support them in living a healthy, full life. In contrast, people who know that they’re HIV positive can protect their health and take action to prevent spreading the virus to others.
Population of Focus: American Indian and Alaska Native
Links to Resource:
- Learn more about National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness day from NNHAAD.org and find resources to get involved
- The IHS National HIV/AIDS Program (HIV/AIDS) coordinates and promotes HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment activities specific to Indians as part of a comprehensive public health approach.
- View an overview of HIV among American Indians and Alaska Natives using the fact sheet or statistics page on the IHS website
- View the Tribal HIV/STD Advocacy Kit & Policy Guide: A Kit for American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Leaders, Health Advocates, and Decision-Makers
- View the Tribal HIV/STD Advocacy Kit and Policy Guide – Info and Resources (pdf)
- View the Tribal HIV/STD Policy Templates (pdf)
- Read the recently published public health report, Assessing New Diagnoses of HIV Among American Indian/Alaska Natives Served by the Indian Health Service, 2005-2014
- View information, resources, and involvement strategies from the CDC for NNHAAD
- Read an article from the Human Rights Campaign that recognizes two Native activists, HRC Observes National Native HIV & AIDS Awareness Day
- Read the recent NNED post, Quest for Healing: Overcoming the Challenges of Fighting HIV among Native Americans
Date: 2018