As of December 2000, an estimated 2,680 Orange County residents were living with AIDS. The theme for the fourteenth observance of World AIDS Day is "I care…Do you?" emphasizing the role that men play in the worldwide effort against AIDS. "The campaign is intended to involve men, especially young men, in considering their response to the AIDS epidemic in their personal lives and their roles in the community," said County Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton. "This is also important in Orange County, since 89% of our reported AIDS cases have been among men."

"There are still far too many people who don’t know that they’re HIV positive and far too many myths and misconceptions about HIV and AIDS," said Penny Weismuller, HCA Division Manager for Disease Control and Epidemiology. "In addition to providing information about HIV and AIDS, the Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) offers free, anonymous and confidential HIV testing, with counseling available as part of this service."

HCA offers HIV testing at three convenient locations:

• 1725 W. 17^th Street, Santa Ana
  Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., open Tuesday until 5:30 p.m.
  (714) 834-8787

• Ponderosa Community Center
  2100 S. Haster, Anaheim
  Wednesday 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
  (714) 750-2826

• 27512 Calle Arroyo, San Juan Capistrano
  Thursday 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
  (949) 248-2216

For information on free HIV testing, call (714) 834-8129. World AIDS Day information, including links to other resources, can be found on the HCA web site at www.ochealthinfo.com/public/hiv/wad2001.html.