Wednesday, March 20, is being observed in Alabama and across the country as National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD), a national mobilization effort designed to encourage American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians in Alabama, across the United States and Territorial Areas learn about the HIV virus, get tested and engage in prevention and to seek treatment.
“Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV is a chronic viral infection that, if untreated, can lead to the collapse of the immune system and even death over a period of years of infection,” said Audrey Lloyd, physician of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children’s of Alabama. “When you have that collapse of the immune system, that's what we call AIDS.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), diagnosed HIV infections among Native people are proportional to their population size. Of the 39,782 HIV diagnoses in the U.S. in 2016, 1 percent (243) were among AI/AN populations.
NNHAAD was first observed in 2007 and continues to be held on the first day of spring. The theme for NNHAAD 2024 is “It’s All Relative, Our Experience Makes a Difference.”
This theme acknowledges the invaluable contribution of Native communities in ending the HIV epidemic, underscoring the significance of Native visibility in national HIV strategies and funding opportunities.
Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders and AI/ANs have the third and fourth highest rate of new HIV infections, respectively. Of those diagnosed with AIDS, AI/ANs had the shortest overall survival time, with 87 percent living longer than three years.
Health experts say challenges such as stigma can prevent someone from getting tested and receiving the treatment that they need to live a healthy life.
“There’s still a lot of stigma around HIV, especially here in the south. What we find in infectious disease, is that silence and stigma really perpetuate the spread of infectious diseases,” said Lloyd. “So, these stigmas are not helpful at all for getting people into treatment and for preventing HIV.”
Lloyd said she believes the best way to stop the stigma is to talk about HIV.
“I think that we can combat that by having open conversations and realizing that this is a virus that doesn't care who you are. It's not a moral failing or anything like that,” she explained. “It is about if you come into contact with the virus, and it can be treated and you can live a normal life, as long as you seek treatment.”
Getting tested is the first step in protecting health and stopping the spread of the virus. To find a testing site, call 1-800-232-4636, visit hivtest.cdc.gov or text a zip code to 566948. Home testing kits are available online or at a pharmacy.
Those interested may also find a testing location by visiting their local Indian Health Services (IHS) Tribal or Urban facility. HIV/AIDS testing is free at all IHS facilities.
For more information and resources about HIV in Alabama, visit the Alabama Department of Public Health website.
Additionally, those interested can learn more about HISstory, HERstory, THEIRstory, OURstory: Sorytelling as Resilience, an initiative aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge of HIV and breaking down the barriers of HIV/AIDS stigma in indigenous communities through the tradition of story telling here.
