Maine launches
HIV testing campaign for gay men

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention this month launched "Deserve to Know," a campaign urging gay and bisexual men to be screened for HIV infection. The campaign began with a series of public service announcements and educational materials aiming to educate sexually active gay men about the disease and urging them to be tested for HIV antibodies. Educational materials will be distributed through community-based organizations and private medical providers and at gay pride events in the state. Three radio PSAs are currently being played throughout the state. The campaign also includes a Web site, www.deservetoknowme.org, which includes information about HIV testing. The campaign carries the tagline "I deserve to know. Do you?"

"Our message...is intended to engage our target audience to ask themselves the question 'Do I deserve to know my own HIV status and that of my partners?'" says Dora Ann Mills, director of the state's CDC. "It is also intended to spark the conversation about HIV status awareness from an individual perspective and among male partners. We also want to encourage men to become more comfortable in talking about testing and awareness on a regular basis." (The Advocate)