“What Does a Real STD Prevention Agenda Look Like?” AHF’s New National Advocacy Ad Offers 10-Point Plan

In Advocacy, News by AHF

AHF unveils a new advocacy campaign summarizing its STD prevention agenda, appearing in publications across the nation starting this week. AHF’s 10-point plan outlines suggested policy objectives in regard to access to STD information, education, and prevention methods.

LOS ANGELES (March 25, 2016) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, has launched a new national ad campaign that outlines the group’s proposed 10-Point Plan for preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. AHF’s prevention strategy includes sex education, universal access to condoms, routine HIV and STD screening and other responsible sexual health policies.

“The rates of HIV and other STDs in this country have reached levels that are totally unacceptable,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. “A major policy shift needs to occur if we are to safeguard and encourage the sexual health of individuals in the United States. The 10-point plan that AHF is offering through this national ad campaign provides a practical framework for addressing and containing this growing epidemic.”

Beginning this week, AHF’s advocacy ad will appear in publications throughout the nation, including South Florida Gay News (March 23), Florida Agenda (March 24), Metro Weekly (March 24), Bay Area Reporter (March 24), Gay City News (NYC, March 24), Washington Blade (March 25), Outword Magazine (Sacramento, March 31) and Frontiers LA (March314).

AHF’s 10-point STD Prevention Agenda is as follows:

1. Universal sex education in the schools – Kids need accurate non-judgmental information at age-appropriate levels to make the best choices.

2. Well-funded, high-quality, ongoing sexual health ad campaigns with special emphasis on the most at-risk communities.

3. Widespread availability of affordable condoms – make condoms easily available in schools, bars and nightclubs, hotels, restrooms, and other places that intersect sexually active people.

4. Remove barriers to advertising condoms in mainstream print and electronic media during all hours of the day or night.

5. Fund people of color-run organizations to develop and implement culturally appropriate prevention programs that speak to their communities.

6. Make screening for HIV and STDs a routine part of primary medical care and hospital stays.

7. Increased funding for STD-specific services.

8. Integrate safer sex information into all mobile hook-up apps.

9. Enforce laws requiring condoms in porn.

10. Mobilize opinion leaders/influencers at every level of society (peers, clergy, entertainers, athletes, etc.) to promote healthier sexual choices.

AHF’s STD prevention strategy comes in response to the alarming increase in STD rates, especially among young people and members of the LGBT community. According to a recent study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of gay and bisexual black men and a quarter of gay and bisexual Latino men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetimes. Young people age 15-24 in the U.S. account for half of new sexually transmitted infections each year. AHF maintains that its 10-point plan, if implemented effectively, would significantly curb the STD epidemic in the United States.

For more information or to leave feedback on the STD Prevention Agenda 10-Point Plan, please visit http://www.ahf.org/10pts/.

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