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AIDS: Prevention with Positives

40,000 new cases of HIV are transmitted each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Over the last five years, public health officials have been challenged to reduce that amount by 50 percent.

To meet that goal, a new and unique strategy is redefining the idea of prevention.

Prevention with Positives is an HIV prevention program that targets those already infected with HIV.

“People realized that it takes a positive person to infect a negative one,” said Greg Cardona, Co-Director of Better World Advertising, a company specializing in social marketing campaigns. “Prevention with Positives provides support for people infected with HIV that are challenged by a variety of issues that could lead to bad decisions,” said Cardona.

One of the biggest issues still facing people that are HIV positive is stigma, according to Cardona. Twenty years into the AIDS epidemic, those infected by HIV face being ostracized by family and friends if they disclose their HIV status.

“Stigma keeps people from seeking medical care even though they know they are HIV infected,” said Cardona.

HIV Stops With Me, a Prevention with Positives social marketing campaign, was created by Cardona’s company in 2000. It uses the stories of HIV infected individuals to promote prevention messages and behavior change that address some of their issues.

Delano, one of the campaign’s models, has been used since 2006. A native of Haiti, Delano was in a committed relationship when he was diagnosed with HIV.

“I didn’t feel empowered to ask my partner his HIV status,” said Delano. “Getting HIV was a wake-up call.”

Cardona and Delano join us for an honest discussion of Prevention with Positives

After watching the show, please share your thoughts on this controversial prevention strategy. The comments section below the video should provide enough room.