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AHF Prevention Principles Enjoy Overwhelming Public Support in Poll Results-80% Agree on PrEP; Over 70% Agree on Condoms
[June 26, 2014]

AHF Prevention Principles Enjoy Overwhelming Public Support in Poll Results-80% Agree on PrEP; Over 70% Agree on Condoms


LOS ANGELES --(Business Wire)--

As AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) continues to expand its global mission to offer and provide HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and advocacy-now in 34 countries-the group launched a new national ad campaign that outlines and clarifies its 'Principles on Prevention of AIDS Healthcare Foundation' covering AHF's policy positions in seven distinct areas ranging from public health and advocacy to condom use to pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Throughout the month of June, AHF's 'Principles on Prevention' has run as an advocacy and awareness ad nationally and locally here in the Los Angeles area in publications including the Los Angeles Daily News, the Long Beach Press Telegram, Frontiers LA Newsmagazine and the LA Weekly. Policy areas that AHF expands on and outlines its principles include: Public Health, Advocacy, Human Values, Responsibility, Pornography, PrEP and Condoms.

A concurrent poll of over 300 individuals nationwide on AHF's 'Principles on Prevention' found overwhelming support for a majority of AHF's policy positions or statements. When presented statements such as: 'Condomless porn endangers the health of the performers. No person is disposable. No one shold endanger their health at work,' anywhere from 74% to 86% of those polled answered either 'Strongly Agree' or 'Agree.' On the controversial subject of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-prescribing the AIDS drug Truvada to uninfected individuals as a possible means to prevent HIV infection-79% to 80% of poll respondents answered either 'Strongly Agree' or 'Agree' with the statements: 'Poor Adherence to PrEP increases the possibility of infection with HIV by giving people a false sense of security. Sub-optimal adherence will lead to an increase in HIV infections.'



"Polling on AHF's 'Principles on Prevention' shows robust public support for a majority of public policy positions and stands that AHF has taken in a number of areas over the years. We were heartened, but not really surprised by this news, as AHF always tries to take a practical approach to developing what we believe are prudent public health policies and positions," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "By also running the AHF 'Principles on Prevention' as a national ad campaign, we hope to clarify and/or dispel public misperceptions about some of AHF's positions that have taken hold in some quarters. Bottom line: Polling indicates we appear to be in synch with the public in a number of areas with regard to our approach to public health, human values and responsibility as well as condom use and HIV prevention."

One misperception dispelled in the 'Principles,' for example, is that AHF is anti-pornography-a falsehood that the adult film industry repeatedly claims in its opposition to pending statewide California legislation that will strengthen and clarify the law regarding condom use by performers. In fact, AHF recognizes the adult film industry as a legal industry operating in California. AHF's position regarding this industry has always been, and remains, that producers must follow worker safety laws and that adult performers must use condoms, as already required under California OSHA statutes.


About AHF

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare provider in the USA. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to over 315,000 individuals in 34 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @AIDSHealthcare.


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