CONNECTIONS
A Bimonthly e-Newsletter
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Director's Update

March - April 2011

Dr. Kevin Fenton
Director, NCHHSTP

Effective prevention of HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB in the United States requires approaches that are comprehensive, integrated, and multilayered, concurrently addressing the individual, health system, and societal determinants of disease transmission. NCHHSTP continues to enhance our vertical prevention programs by implementing initiatives to better address the overlapping epidemics (syndemics), including our Program Collaboration and Service Integration (PCSI), Social Determinants of Health, and Sexual Health activities. Many of our new disease-specific funding announcements also incorporate principles of this syndemic approach.

We are making excellent progress in implementing PCSI nationally. Last fall, NCHHSTP awarded over $6 million for 3-year demonstration projects to six city and state health departments to improve local coordination for greater health impact. Grantees are now hiring PCSI coordinators, creating PCSI steering committees, conducting integrated planning, and identifying data gaps.

The PCSI Initiative is one way in which CDC is responding to the National HIV/AIDS Strategy’s calls for improved coordination among agencies and across all levels of government. We are committed to expanding this approach, when appropriate, throughout our programming.

GYT: Get Yourself Tested Update

GYT: Get Yourself Tested is a youthful, empowering social movement around getting tested for STDs. For a generation accustomed to communicating in short, abbreviated phrases, GYT presents STD testing in a context that is familiar and relatable to young people—as an act of pride, not shame, promoting open communication about STDs.

The campaign includes

Educational Materials for Diverse Audiences

Colleagues from different programs across CDC, in the Division of Viral Hepatitis and the Division of Immunization Services worked together to develop new educational materials addressing perinatal transmission of hepatitis B, a common issue among immigrants, especially those from Asia. One set of materials is designed for educators to use with non-English speakers with little or no literacy in their native language. The slide set is both Web-based and available on DVD, uses very simple language, and has audio in five different Asian languages. A second, slightly more detailed slide set is available in easy-to-understand English and Spanish. Furthermore, the Protect Your Baby for Life series contains 2-page downloadable fact sheets for use by prenatal health care providers and will soon be available in 14 different languages. English and Spanish versions are already available online.

New from CDC

Legal/Policy Toolkit for Adoption and Implementation of Expedited Partner Therapy

Latent TB Infection: A Guide for Primary Health Care Providers

Disparities in Diagnoses of HIV Between Blacks/African Americans and Other Racial/Ethnic Populations

Upcoming Events

On the Web

LGBT Youth and Bullying Prevention