REACHING DIGITAL YOUTH WITH DIGITAL TOOLS: NATIONAL YOUTH HIV & AIDS AWARENESS DAY 2017

April 4, 2017 • By AIDS.gov

April 10 is National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD). This annual observance aims to educate people about the impact of HIV on young people in the United States, and to showcase the work young people are doing to respond to the epidemic. Advocates for Youth

is the planning lead for the day.

This observance is important because among all demographic groups, youth have the highest rates of undiagnosed HIV and the lowest rates of linkage to care and viral suppression. And young, black gay/bisexual men have significantly higher risks for contracting HIV than any of their peers.

If you are between the ages of 13 and 24, you can take care of your own health and potentially help to lower the rate of new HIV infections by knowing your own HIV status. Use AIDS.gov’s HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator to find a convenient testing location and take the test.

And whether you fall in that age range or not, you can also share the Locator, AIDS.gov’s HIV Basics pages, and CDC’s HIV among Youth page with the people you care about.

Learn more about NYHAAD and help spread the word about HIV and youth by:

Following the observance hashtag, #NYHAAD , on Twitter, and joining the online conversation

Visiting the following NYHAAD sites/webpages for ideas, graphics, and other resources to help engage youth and those who care about them:

Listening to the true stories of young Black gay men who are living with HIV at Positive Spin

Learn about using digital communication tools to reach youth in your community through a personalized session with AIDS.gov’s free Virtual Office Hours training