Health Dept. launches HIV prevention campaign to reach Native Americans

HIV infection rates for Native Americans in Minnesota are nearly three times greater than they are for whites. In response, the Health Department is launching an HIV prevention campaign to reach American Indians on reservations and in the Twin Cities, coinciding with Friday's National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

State AIDS Director Krissie Guerard said HIV prevention messages will air on cable channels that play in Indian Health Service clinics and in some metro-area clinics that treat sexually transmitted infections.

Guerard said social stigma related to HIV contributes to higher infection rates in Native American communities. She said some people are embarrassed or afraid to be tested and that means they are more likely to spread the disease to others.

"And there's access to health care as well. A lot of infectious disease doctors are more in metro areas and things like that, versus being in some of the areas by the reservations," she said.

Guerard said many Native American communities are offering free HIV testing Friday.