Rural AIDS and HIV expert comments on media campaign

A recent study revealed that the public's concern about the HIV/AIDS problem in the United States has lessened: In 1995, 44 percent of people surveyed considered HIV/AIDS the most urgent health problem, but only 5 percent of study participants reported feeling this way today, said William L. Yarber, senior director of the Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention at Indiana University.

"This lack of concern is most prominent in rural areas, where denial is pervasive," Yarber said. "Even though rural areas account for only 8 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases, rural areas face unique challenges because of stigma, denial, lack of adequate medical services and isolation."

This new, major educational effort to increase the public awareness of HIV/AIDS is needed because the number of new HIV infections in higher than projected, Yarber said, adding that RCAP welcomes the renewed focus, which he expects to help the center in its goal of reducing HIV/STD prevalence in rural communities.

On April 16-18 successful efforts to address HIV/AIDS and STDs in rural communities from Maine to Oklahoma, and Florida to Alaska, will be the focus of RCAP's sixth national conference, which will take place at IU Bloomington.

For more information about RCAP, visit http://www.indiana.edu/~aids/. Yarber is a professor in the Department of Applied Health Science in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. He also is a senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction.