According to CDC reports, African American population in Florida has a relatively higher level of HIV cases and with new cases coming from the rural and semi-rural areas. For the purpose of identifying the prevalence of HIV among the African American adolescents accurately, house-to-house HIV testing is proposed. Testing is viewed to be fundamental to prevention since it makes the adolescents aware of their condition. Testing also entails an educative component wherein the adolescents can be educated on how they can protect themselves and others from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (CDC, 2005; CDC, 2009).
House-to-house testing is also proposed to address the barriers encountered by the African American adolescents pertaining to HIV testing. In widening the access to basic health services, the initiative can overcome the challenges of lack of resources, transport costs and distances to the nearest testing facilities. Instead, HIV testers will be mobilized to their areas to conduct the test while also educating the adolescents. Through this, African American adolescents will be given an equal opportunity to be tested while also maximizing the services of the Department of Health and CDC (CDC, 2005, 2008a, 2008b).
The purpose of this project is to: 1) bridge the gap between available HIV testing services and African Americans in rural and semi-rural areas in Miami-Dade, the percentage of HIV tested African American adolescents should be have increased by 25% by August 2011, 2) scale up HIV testing interventions on rural and semi-rural areas in Miami-Dade by addressing the barriers to HIV testing especially of African Americans, house to house HIV testing will be conducted for 80% of the rural and semi-rural communities in Miami-Dade and 3) cultivate positive attitude on HIV testing and voluntary HIV testing for African American adolescents living in Miami-Dade, dissemination of HIV information materials is a key driver in preventing HIV/AIDS among the adolescents living in rural and semi-rural areas.
Further, the project will definitely benefit out-of-school youths who are otherwise excluded in schools-based HIV testing initiatives. House-to-house testing will also benefit adolescents of minority races and ethnicities. Therefore, the project will benefit the most economically challenged adolescent population in Miami-Dade, including a significant portion of the adolescents who have no actual access to HIV testing also have no means of acquiring such access. Through this, the project could improve the adolescents HIV understanding and reduce the transmission of HIV.
References
CDC. (2005). HIV prevalence, unrecognized infection, and HIV testing among men who have sex with men - five US cities, June 2004-April 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 54: 597-601.
CDC. (2008a). HIV prevalence estimates. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 57: 1073-1076.
CDC. (2008b). Youth risk behavior surveillance - United States, 2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), 57: SS-4.
CDC. (2009). HIV testing among adolescents. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
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