National HIV Testing Day - A message from President Obama

by Miguel Gomez

Throughout the month of June, we've been asking people to share their HIV testing stories.

Today, in recognition of National HIV Testing Day, President Obama released a special video message about the importance of HIV testing and his own experiences getting an HIV test in Kenya.

The White House has used Twitter , YouTube and other new media tools to get the word out about this video and to spread the word about the importance of knowing your HIV status. We encourage you to watch the video and share it with your friends, co-workers and family.

To find a local HIV testing site, send a text message with your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948) or visit www.HIVtest.org.

Using New Media to Reach Women and Girls for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Today, March 10, is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). Women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the U.S., and most are infected with HIV through heterosexual contact. Women of color are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

To learn more about the day, the role of new media in responding to HIV among women and girls, and how YOU can take action today, we spoke to Vera Yakovchenko from the Office on Women's Health (OWH), the lead Federal agency for NWGHAAD.

“This day is a tool to promote discussion and information sharing, as well as the opportunity to provide the facts for women and girls on how to prevent infection and live with HIV and AIDS,” Vera told us. This year's theme is HIV is Right Here at Home: Get Tested. Know Your Status.

Promoting Routine HIV Testing For National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

During the week leading up to National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day , we reinforce the Federal recommendations for routine HIV testing in healthcare settings. Here’s what the CDC’s Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Health-Care Settings say: