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HIV/AIDS Resource Center
ARHP created this resource center to provide information on HIV/AIDS for both health care providers and the general public. For health care providers, there are links to assist in improving HIV/AIDS prevention services and patient care. Patients will find information on HIV basics, HIV prevention, and HIV treatment.

[This statement is currently under review by ARHP’s policy committee. An updated statement will be posted as soon as it is revised and approved by the ARHP board of directors.]

HIV/AIDS is an international health crisis, affecting millions of men, women, and children throughout the world (1).

Because of the intensity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, public education programs that use a combination of approaches to prevent HIV/AIDS transmission are essential.

  • Promoting abstinence is a useful and important way to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS; promoting abstinence at the expense of education about effective condom use can only increase the incidence of HIV/AIDS. Educational programs should highlight the fact that the consistent and correct use of condoms during sexual activity is very effective in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS (2). Educational programs should also highlight the fact that abstinence is not an option for many populations at risk for HIV/AIDS-notably women with limited power-who may not be able to delay initiation of sex or limit their number of sexual partners.
  • Comprehensive school-based HIV/AIDS education that is appropriate to students' age and developmental level is an essential part of education programs. Effective programs respect the diversity of values and beliefs represented in the community and complement and augment the HIV/AIDS education children receive from their families.
  • Effective school-based HIV/AIDS education curricula provide comprehensive, medically accurate information on sexual and reproductive behavior and health. ARHP supports abstinence education as a component of an overall HIV/AIDS prevention strategy, and recommends that abstinence be taught in the context of a comprehensive program of sexuality education so that individuals have all the information they need to make safe and informed choices about their sexual behavior.
  • Within public education programs, particular emphasis should be placed on special populations most at risk for HIV/AIDS in the United States and abroad.

Education about HIV/AIDS is essential for all health care professionals. In addition to factual information related to the diagnosis and care of patients with HIV/AIDS, curricula should include ethical discussions that remove stigma and moral judgments about individuals with HIV/AIDS, as well as training on how to educate patients about HIV/AIDS prevention.

Needle exchange programs can be an effective tool for decreasing the transmission of HIV/AIDS.

All individuals, regardless of insurance status or coverage, should have full and equal access to available HIV/AIDS treatments.

Because HIV/AIDS-related discrimination and stigma often prevent individuals from receiving adequate treatment and support, ARHP advocates respect and protection for individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families, friends, and intimate partners.

Because HIV/AIDS is so prevalent and treatment options are limited, ARHP encourages the investment of public and private funding for basic and clinical research to develop new preventive strategies and treatments.

References
1. UNAIDS, December 2002. http://www.unaids.org/worldaidsday/2002/press/update/epiupdate_en.pdf.
2. Warner DL. Male condoms. In: Hatcher RA, Trussell J, Stewart F, et al (eds): Contraceptive Technology, Seventeenth Revised Edition. New York: Ardent Media, 1998, pp. 325-355.

ARHP's HIV/AIDS statement was approved by ARHP's board of directors on June 7, 2003 and recommended by ARHP's policy committee on May 19, 2003.



















 
 

 

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