Skip navigation

News Release

Monday, March 6, 2006

HHS Announces the First National HIV/AIDS Awareness Day for Women and Girls

Today marks the launch of the first National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a new observance sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This day recognizes the significant burden of HIV/AIDS on women and girls in the United States, with the special health risks they face. Equally important are the event’s other goals: to encourage women and girls to learn more about the disease, to get tested for the virus, and to maintain or adopt healthy behaviors.

In the early days of the AIDS pandemic, relatively few women were infected with HIV. Twenty-five years later, women and girls represent one of the groups most severely affected groups. So the theme for this day is “Women and Girls – Saving Ourselves, Saving Our Families, Saving Our Future.”

The proportion of AIDS diagnoses among women, especially women of color, has increased since the beginning of the epidemic. Women represented 27 percent of new AIDS diagnoses in 2004, compared to 11 percent of new AIDS cases reported in 1990. Women of color accounted for 80 percent of all U.S. women estimated to be living with AIDS in 2004, with African American women making up 60 percent of that total.

In 2002, HIV/AIDS was the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25-34 and the third leading cause for women ages 35-44. HIV/AIDS was also the fourth leading cause of death for Hispanic women ages 35-44. Women across racial and ethnic groups most commonly report heterosexual contact as the most likely way they were infected.

Women and girls infected with HIV may have difficulty accessing health care. Research shows that HIV-infected women and girls are diagnosed, and receive health care services, at later stages of the infection than men. They may not receive social support from their families, friends, and communities. They may confront other challenges that interfere with their ability to adhere to their treatment regimens. They also may have the additional burden of caring for children and other family members who are also HIV-infected. 

President George W. Bush has made the fight against the HIV/AIDS a top priority. The President discussed in his State of the Union speech the importance of addressing HIV/AIDS and has asked Congress to reform and reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, federal legislation that addresses the unmet health needs of persons living with HIV disease by funding primary health care and support services. As a result, this Administration is working to provide new funding to help states end their waiting lists for AIDS medications in America. The President has also appealed to Americans to increase their prevention efforts and to stop the disease from spreading.

“Today we have an opportunity to encourage women and girls to learn more about HIV/AIDS and how to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Cristina Beato, M.D., principal deputy assistant secretary for health. “Each of us needs to get tested, to learn our HIV status, and to protect our health. If you are HIV-positive, seek medical care and support now. If you are HIV-negative, stay that way through healthy behaviors.”

Communities across the nation are joining HHS in spreading the word about HIV/AIDS in women and girls. An estimated 500 events will take place this month in recognition of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Activities are listed by state on the following web site: http://www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances/women/events.html

“National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day provides an opportunity to encourage women and girls to take personal responsibility for their own health and well-being, and reaffirms the commitment of the general public and the medical and public health communities to focus more attention on education, prevention, and treatment efforts among women and girls,” Dr. Beato said. “Today, we renew our commitment for prevention, care/treatment, and research efforts that will empower women to protect themselves against this deadly disease.”

For more information on the event and additional resources,

• Link to the Web site of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at http://www.hhs.gov.
• Visit the National Women’s Health Information Center (NWHIC), sponsored by the HHS Office on Women’s Health, at http://www.womenshealth.gov. Call NWHIC’s Information Referral Center to speak to an Information Specialist in either English or Spanish at 1-800-994-9662, TDD: 1-888-220-5446.
• See the HHS Office of Minority Health’s Resource Center at http://www.omhrc.gov.
• Refer to the National HIV Testing Resources at http://hivtest.org. It offers a national database of HIV testing sites, so individuals can enter their zip code and be referred to a nearby testing facility.
• CDC-INFO (formerly the CDC National AIDS Hotline) toll-free for answers to questions about HIV testing and referrals to testing sites. Get assistance in English or in Spanish at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636); TTY: 1-888-232-6348, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.