HRSA Recognizes National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
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Today, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognizes National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This day is an opportunity to raise awareness about HIV stigma and to encourage HIV prevention and treatment among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, gay, bisexual, and MSM accounted for 70 percent of new HIV infections in the U.S. Through HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, we are dedicated to improving their health outcomes.
Of the more than half a million clients receiving care through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in 2021, 48.8 percent were MSM, 90.6 percent of whom were virally suppressed. This means they were taking HIV medication as prescribed and reaching viral suppression and cannot sexually transmit HIV to their partners and can live longer and healthier lives.
This is great progress, but we know that there is still more to be done. Barriers, including stigma and limited access to high-quality health care, continue to prevent gay, bisexual, and other MSM with HIV from seeking care and treatment.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program provides primary medical care, medication, and essential support services, such as transportation, meal delivery, and housing assistance for low-income people with HIV. We have innovative interventions and strategies to help people with HIV accesses HIV treatment to stay healthy. These include ESCALATEExit Disclaimer (Ending Stigma through Collaboration and Lifting All To Empowerment), an initiative that supports training designed to address HIV-related stigma, as well as additional efforts that provide resources and toolkits for engaging MSM at high risk in HIV care.
We will continue to develop interventions and strategies that improve HIV-related health outcomes for gay, bisexual, and other MSM.
Learn More:
- To find a RWHAP medical provider and locate HIV care, visit: https://findhivcare.hrsa.gov/.
- Sign up for the RWHAP listserv for news, updates, and education and training opportunities.