Buses in seven Ohio cities will be used as traveling billboards for a campaign to increase HIV/AIDS awareness among minorities. The program will begin Saturday, when the buses will be displayed at a Statehouse rally. The vehicles will be wrapped with images of blacks, American Indians, Asians and Latinos and the slogan "Know the Facts. Get Tested."

The "Get on the Bus" program is the first phase of a $325,000 campaign that health officials describe as the first statewide effort to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among minorities. It is mostly federally funded through the Ohio Commission on Minority Health. The ads cost about $6,500 each for the six-month campaign.

Health officials say fear of death, myths about AIDS and secrets among minority men who do not admit to themselves or others that they are gay or bisexual are a few reasons for the rising number of HIV cases in minority communities. Sue Crumpton, executive director of the Columbus AIDS Task Force, said putting the message on buses is a good idea. "Catching people's attention this day and age is hard to do," she said. "Putting it on a bus puts it in front of you and hopefully triggers a change in behavior or makes someone want to go and get tested."

"We have to try to make some kind of impact. Because if we don't get it together we [blacks] are not going to be here," said Wynette Collins, the Columbus Health Department's minority coordinator for STDs.

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