National Asian and Pacific Islander

HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: May 19

Friday, May 19, 2006 is the second annual National Asian and Pacific Islander (API) HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This observance day intends to raise awareness among Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. about the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , today there are an estimated 1.039 million to 1.185 million HIV-positive individuals living in the U.S. AIDS has killed more than 20 million people since the first cases were diagnosed in 1981. For APIs, one of the fastest-growing ethnic/racial populations in the U.S., HIV/AIDS is on the rise. According to the CDC, the number of APIs living with AIDS has climbed by more than 10 percent in each of the last 5 years. The number of adult and adolescent APIs diagnosed with AIDS through 2004 was 7,317.

In recognition of National API HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created this Web site, which provides information on prevention, testing, treatment, and vaccine research.

If you are planning a local event, trying to craft public awareness messages, want to work with your local media, or need educational materials such as posters, public service announcements, or fact sheets, you will find resources and answers to many of your questions here.