Saturday, June 8th marks Caribbean American HIV & AIDS Awareness Day 2022 (CAHAAD), a day dedicated to supporting Caribbean communities in the US and promoting access to resources and educational materials to treat and prevent HIV. CAHAAD was first observed in 2006, launched by the Caribbean People International Collective and a working group of US organizations. The day also falls during June, which is Caribbean-American heritage month.

According to the UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report 2012, the Caribbean region has the sharpest declines in the number of new HIV infections worldwide since 2001, with a drop of more than 42%. These numbers highlight the progress that can be made when communities have access to adequate resources to provide care and promote prevention. That said, there are challenges that remain.

The Caribbean has the second highest rates of HIV globally, and AIDS is the leading cause of death among people between the ages of 20 and 59. Men who have sex with men and sex workers are particularly at risk of HIV infection. According to the CDC, the Caribbean is one of two regions where the proportion of women and girls living with HIV (53%) is higher than men and boys. In the US, however, men account for the majority (56.6%) of HIV diagnoses among Black people born in the Caribbean.

Tools such as prevention programs, high-quality laboratory services and robust health information systems are key in reducing transmission and providing quality care to those living with HIV in the Caribbean. Both in the Caribbean and for Caribbean-Americans, it is imperative to reduce stigma and honor those who have been or are currently living with or affected by HIV.

Please join us in recognizing CAHAAD 2022, and click here to learn more about HIV testing at CAP.

About Cascade AIDS Project

CAP is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1985 as a grassroots response to the AIDS crisis. As the oldest and largest community-based HIV services provider in Oregon and southwest Washington, we seek to support and empower all people with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community with compassionate healthcare. We do so by helping to ensure the health and well-being of our program participants each year through health, housing, and other social services. When the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally affirming primary care services was identified as a community need, we responded by opening Prism Health in 2017.  More information can be found at www.capnw.org.