HIV/AIDS Awareness Month
This month-long campaign spreads awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and is celebrated by some nonprofits and local governments.
This month-long campaign spreads awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and is celebrated by some nonprofits and local governments.
Nathaniel Glanzman
Reviewer URLDate: December
This month-long campaign spreads awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention and is celebrated by some nonprofits and local governments.
Origin
The first HIV/AIDS Awareness Month took place in October 1988. Then-president Ronald Reagan declared the month by presidential proclamation. It is unclear when December became the official HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, but some local governments began acknowledging December as the official month by 2012.
Currently, there are several HIV/AIDS awareness days acknowledged by the federal government, but HIV/AIDS Awareness Month is not on the list. Its December recognition was likely chosen to coincide with the long-standing World AIDS Day, which occurs on December 1.
Traditions
For nonprofits and local governments who participate in HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, much of the focus is dedicated to prevention and testing. Organizations also provide information about PreP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a pill or shot which can be taken regularly to prevent the transmission of HIV.
What to say
There is no traditional greeting for HIV/AIDS Awareness Month. To participate in HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, get tested for HIV and encourage your loved ones to do the same. To find a testing location near you, visit gettested.cdc.gov.