HIV/AIDS
CDC surveillance information has indicated that HIV/AIDS is a
increasingly growing problem for the American Indian and Alaska
Natives population. In 2004, in the 33 states with a
long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting, women accounted
for 29% of the HIV/AIDS diagnoses reported for that year. An
estimated 1,506 AI/AN were living with AIDS. The approximate
rate of AIDS diagnosis for AI/AN adults and teens was 9.9 per
100,000 persons, the 3rd highest rate after those for African
American and Hispanic adults and teens. The estimated AIDS diagnosis
for their white counterparts was 7.1 per 100,000.
The National Indian Women's Health Resource Center administers
the HIV/AIDS Health Promotion and Education Cooperation Agreement
Project which is funded by the Office of Minority Health. The
goal of this project is to raise awareness and educate American
Indian families of the risk factors associated and contributing to
the contraction of the HIV/AIDS disease by providing
culturally appropriate health education materials and trainings on
how to reduce an individual and communities risk of becoming
infected.
A "Train the Trainer" curriculum, which is culturally
appropriate; and sensitive training materials are being developed
through this project for training HIV/AIDS prevention specialists in
tribal communities throughout the United States, particularly
where there is a high incidence of HIV/AIDS among American Indian
and Alaska Natives.
NIWHRC has also assisted with the formation of three HIV/AIDS
coalitions: HEART in northeast Oklahoma, PANI HOPE in central
Oklahoma, and ONNUAA in southwest Oklahoma.
HIV is a non-discriminate disease. It knows no age, sex, race,
or nationality. American Indians must be educated and aware of this deadly
disease.
228 S. Muskogee Avenue Tahlequah, OK 74464
Telephone: 918-456-6094 Fax: 918-456-8128
Email: peiron@niwhrc.org
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