CDC Launches ‘Take Charge. Take the Test.^™’

March 14, 2012

By Hazel D. Dean, ScD, MPH, Deputy Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Hazel Dean

Today (March 14), during the White House “Intersection of HIV/AIDS, Violence Against Women & Gender Related Health Disparities” event, the newly announced Office of National AIDS Policy Director Dr. Grant Colfax spoke to those gathered at the White House. During his remarks he referred to the CDC’s social marketing HIV testing campaign for women, Take Charge. Take the Test. Please read the following cross-post from the CDC about this program.

In conjunction with National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a social marketing HIV testing campaign for women, Take Charge. Take the Test.^TM . The campaign reminds black women they have the power to take charge of their health and protect themselves against HIV. Black women are more affected by HIV than women of any other race or ethnicity. In fact, black women account for nearly 60% of all new HIV infections among women in the United States. Overall, 1 in 32 black women will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetimes.

The campaign also aims to increase HIV testing and awareness among black women. HIV testing is the first critical step that black women, and everyone, can take towards protecting their health and the health of those they love. Yet far too many black women still don’t get tested – and many underestimate their risk. Studies show that some black women, even those who engage in high-risk behaviors, do not believe they’re at risk for HIV. To address these beliefs, campaign messages focus on educating black women that they can’t always know everything about their partner, therefore it is critical that they be vigilant about taking responsibility for their own health by protecting themselves and getting tested for HIV.

Take Charge. Take the Test. is being launched in 10 metropolitan areas where black women are hard hit by HIV: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Memphis, Newark, New Orleans, Hyattsville, Md., and St. Louis. Empowering campaign messages will be delivered in these cities through a variety of channels, such as billboard and transit ads; radio spots; outreach materials in stores, including salons and community organizations. The campaign also has a dedicated website, www.hivtest.org/takecharge .

While the campaign has its own goals and target audience, Take Charge. Take the Test., also supports the prevention-focused goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) and is the latest effort of Act Against AIDS , CDC’s umbrella campaign to fight complacency about HIV and AIDS nationwide.

How You Can Help

There are many ways in which individuals or organizations can help support Take Charge. Take the Test. and increase the reach and impact of these important messages. Some of these opportunities include:

• Downloading print and electronic Take Charge. Take the Test. materials from the campaign website for online use and distribution in your community.
• Sharing information about the campaign through your online communication channels, including Facebook and Twitter, using the hashtag #TakeChargeandTest.

All Act Against AIDS campaign materials, like those for Take Charge. Take the Test., are available for downloading and ordering for use in your local area. Materials include fact sheets, brochures, and posters as well as on-line resources such as website banners, badges, and buttons. These materials can be found in the campaign materials section on www.actagainstaids.org .