World AIDS Day is the first of December each year.
Though varying groups designate AIDS awareness days at different times of the
year, December 1st is universally recognized as an international event. It is a
day for companies and organizations as well as communities to help spread
awareness and education to bring knowledge and understanding to the world.
Understanding AIDS
A big part of World AIDS Day is devoted to
educating the public about the disease. AIDS stands for acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final state of the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). Not everyone who is diagnosed with HIV will develop AIDS, but
everyone diagnosed with AIDS has had HIV. While common viruses like the flu can
be cleared from the body by the immune system, HIV can't because the virus
attacks the immune system. At this point in time, science holds no answers as
to why the body is incapable of fighting off HIV. The virus destroys the immune
system's t-cells, which help fight infection. When the disease reaches the
stage where t-cells are so low that the body can no longer fight off common
viruses and infections, HIV becomes AIDS.
HIV cannot survive outside the body; therefore, it
can only be spread through bodily fluids such as breast milk, semen, blood and
vaginal fluids. Fluids such as saliva and sweat will not transport the disease.
Risky behaviors create a higher risk of contracting HIV. Such behaviors include
unprotected sex and exposure to blood (sharing needles, touching another's
blood with an open wound, etc.). Risky behaviors such as these, however, can be
prevented, which is why AIDS awareness is so important.
For a long time AIDS had no name. Scientists didn't
know what it was, let alone how it was caused or transmitted. They believe it
was in existence as early as the 1950s, but it wasn't linked to the blood until
1982 when it was finally given its name. In 1987, the first anti-HIV drug, AZT,
was introduced, but the disease was still widely misunderstood and feared. With
a lack of education and knowledge, America refused to let any traveler or
immigrant with HIV into the country with. Actions like this sparked the
foundation of World AIDS Day and encouraged people to learn about and
understand the disease in order to help prevent its spread.
The first World AIDS day was observed on December
1, 1988. Recognized every year since, iti is the longest-running disease
prevention and awareness campaign of its kind. By 1996, the Joint United
Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS took over, and the organization shifted its focus
to year-round education. The following year, the World AIDS Campaign was
founded. Its goal: to spread awareness about the disease and reduce the stigma
surrounding it.
Spreading the Word
The World AIDS Campaign focuses on education and
prevention with HIV testing at the forefront. Prevention starts with knowledge.
People can help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by getting tested after each new
partner or any risky behavior. Because World AIDS Day is observed on the first
of December, the entire month is often dedicated to AIDS awareness. Businesses,
organization, communities and families alike can all do their part to help
spread awareness through education and initiatives such as promotional AIDS
awareness items. Cheap and easy, yet not without value, these items can serve
as reminders about the importance of testing and prevention as well as the
dangers of the disease.
About the Author: Darcy Elizabeth is an e-marketing
specialist for Motivators, a Long Island based promotional products
distributor. The company's website, Motivators.com boasts a fantastic selection
of promotional products to create the best marketing value for your brand.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darcy_Elizabeth
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