California: Education Called Key as HIV/AIDS Grows

On Wednesday, a keynote speaker urged attendees at the Riverside County Department of Public Health's fifth annual Inland Empire HIV/AIDS conference to step up education and prevention efforts. The Rev. Christoph Sandoval, one of the state's earliest AIDS activists, told the more than 100 health care providers, counselors, and patients in attendance that the country's economic crisis makes preventing HIV infections all the more important.

"We have to make sure the power of prevention stays powerful," said Sandoval. "We have lost our activism. We have to put the issue back on the radar."

In 2008, 192 people had HIV and 109 had AIDS in San Bernardino County. Riverside County reported 247 HIV cases and 125 AIDS cases as of September of last year, the most recent total available. Most cases reported in the two counties were among men; the highest rates were among persons ages 20-49.

Victoria Jauregui Burns, chief of Riverside County's HIV/AIDS program, said the Inland area receives around $10 million each year for HIV/AIDS treatment, compared to roughly $1 million for prevention.

Burns said HIV prevention can be as simple as having a conversation with a doctor during an examination, but many providers do not bring up AIDS unless the patient expresses concern about it.

Other topics discussed at the conference included HIV/AIDS and incarceration; incorporating religion into prevention messages; and the use of medical marijuana by people living with the disease.

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