Several HIV-positive Oregonians--a bisexual white man, a black man, a young gay man, and a former methamphetamine addict--will share their personal stories online as part of a statewide Web-based marketing campaign aimed at curbing the spread of HIV. The campaign, called HIV Stops With Me, which launches June 13 online at www.hivstopswithme.org, deals directly with sex and condom use and discusses issues like responsibility, communication, and disclosure. "It takes enormous courage to stand up publicly and say, 'I have HIV and I'm not going to infect anyone new,'" says Mitch Zahn, HIV prevention manager in the state Department of Human Services. "The power of this campaign is that it features Oregonians speaking out to others who are infected about how they can stop this." Visitors to the site can ask questions of the men and access additional resources.
The campaign began in San Francisco, where it has been very effective, says Steven Tierney, director of HIV prevention for the city health department "The Internet is the new gay bar," explains Tierney. "People go there looking for information and partners and ideas. Having an active campaign that's Web-based really speaks to a whole generation of people for whom the Web is an integral part of their social life."
HIV Stops With Me is being funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which estimates that 25% of the roughly 900,000 Americans with HIV do not know they are infected. Later this month, the campaign will launch in Seattle; a New York campaign is also planned. In addition to San Francisco, HIV Stops With Me campaigns are also currently underway in Boston, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Long Beach, Calif. (AP)
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