National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is Thursday, May 19. Spearheaded by the San Francisco Community Health CenterExit Disclaimer, this observance highlights the impact of HIV in Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. It also emphasizes the importance of education, quality care, and addressing stigma and related health conditions.

Asians make up almost 6% of the U.S. population and accounted for 1.5% of people with HIV in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although national Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) efforts are concentrated in communities with the highest burden, HIV prevention, care, and treatment continues to be supported in smaller populations. America’s HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD) shows national HIV data for the broader API community across six EHE indicators, including HIV diagnosis, linkage to HIV medical care, incidence, knowledge of status, PrEP coverage, and viral suppression.

RESOURCES

The HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator identifies nearby clinics and provides links to STI testing, PrEP, and HIV self-testing. The CDC Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign offers resources about testing and treatment for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.

FREE PREP

Asians and Pacific Islanders have low PrEP coverage compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. Ready, Set, PrEP is a nationwide program that provides free PrEP medications to people who do not have prescription drug insurance. A health care provider can direct individuals who are not eligible for this program to other federally-funded options.

CONNECT WITH US

Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #APIMay19 and follow @HIV.gov. Visit the National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day page and use HIV.gov’s basic information to share HIV facts, raise awareness, and find details about HIV testing, stigma, and its effects.

For additional HIV.gov resources and updates for other HIV observances, sign up for our email listserv.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Visit APICHA Community Health CenterExit Disclaimer or San Francisco Community Health CenterExit Disclaimer for more HIV prevention resources for API communities.