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October 10, 2008

Text Message-Based HIV/AIDS Campaign Set to Start in L.A.

An innovative new text message-based HIV/AIDS campaign is set to start in Los Angeles County now that it has received funding. With a grant from Cable Positive, the cable industry's HIV/AIDS nonprofit, AIDS Project Los Angeles will be able to go forward with the new-media health intervention, the group announced on Wednesday.

The campaign will use text messaging to directly address the HIV-related concerns of at-risk gay and bisexual young men of color in Los Angeles County. It will start with a group of some 150 boys and men between the ages of 13 and 24 who participate in a youth program at APLA, and organizers hope the messages will spread through their individual social networks.

"Our aim is to help young gay and bisexual men prevent the challenges they face from becoming barriers to healthy behaviors," Patrick Hebert, associate director of education at APLA, said in a statement. "This project capitalizes on technology they already use within their existing networks. By encouraging dialogue about HIV/AIDS, we hope to strengthen those networks and help create new ones."

Promotions of the campaign will appear in 21-and-under clubs, gay pride events, and local schools, and the effort will also be publicized on the MySpace and Facebook pages of the members of APLA's youth program. Almost 20% of the 48,000 cumulative AIDS cases in Los Angeles County are among men between the ages of 13 and 29, according to county data; nationally, blacks make up 48% of new infections among gay and bisexual men between 13 and 29, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The Advocate)

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  • Name: peter hale
    Date posted: 2008-10-15 6:00 PM
    Hometown: london

    Comment:

    my name is peter and i need some advice about h.i.v if any one can help me please ring me thanx my number is 07816176941 thanx again


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