For Immediate Release
November 27, 2002

Contact: Karen Schneider
(714) 834-8406

  
Orange County Health Care Agency Offers Free HIV Testing

(Santa Ana) – As of December 2001, an estimated 2,851 Orange County residents were living with AIDS. With World AIDS Day approaching December 1, Orange County’s Public Health officials say that knowledge and information are the keys to combating the ongoing AIDS epidemic.

The theme for the fifteenth observance of World AIDS Day is “Stigma and Discrimination” emphasizing the role that attitudes and perceptions play in the worldwide effort against AIDS.  From the moment scientists identified HIV and AIDS, social responses of fear, denial, stigma and discrimination have accompanied the epidemic. Discrimination has spread rapidly, fuelling anxiety and prejudice against the groups most affected, as well as those living with HIV or AIDS.  HIV disease is also associated with stigma, repression and discrimination, as individuals affected (or believed to be affected) by HIV have been rejected by their families, their loved ones and their communities.  “The campaign is intended to highlight the impact of stigma and discrimination on community responses to the AIDS epidemic,” said County Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton. “This is also important in Orange County, since various racial and ethnic groups here are disproportionately affected.”

“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 two 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
  

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