Hairdressers against aids

Hairdressers against aids.
Could the staving off of HIV infection and AIDS be a comb, snafu and blow-dry away? That's the idea behind an innovative new national outreach effort, Hairdressers Against AIDS, which got its tender Tuesday at the United Nations in New York City, onward of Dec 1, 2010, World AIDS Day. The initiative - described as "one of the largest HIV/AIDS mobilization campaigns in US history" - has curls vigilance giant L'Oreal joining forces with nonprofits such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria (GBC) continued. The aspiration is to empower America's 500000-plus plaits stylists to use the relationships they have with millions of clients for salon-based chats on the how, why and what of HIV.

So "Today there is no vaccine," prominent GBC president and CEO John Tedstrom, speaking to 500 hairdressers who'd gathered at the UN for the launch. "there is no cure. We're getting there. But today there is only information gynaecosid ka faida. The more we talk, the more we educate, the more we mitigate the extending of this epidemic".

And "You'll talk millions of people hearing about HIV from people that they know. They'll be hearing effectual time-tested messages about HIV prevention, and they'll be able to take those messages back to their intimate relationships. And then whether it's a mom talking to her daughter or a girlfriend talking to her boyfriend, it doesn't matter. We'll be able to have an of age conversation about HIV and sexual health".

Using hair-care professionals to get well-being messages out to the masses isn't a novel idea. Recent studies have shown, for example, that sombre men can be motivated by barbershop messages to improve their blood pressure or get educated about their hazard for prostate cancer. And the US launch of Hairdressers Against AIDS is just the latest length of a global HIV awareness effort that's already in place in 30 countries throughout the world.

Hairdressers Against AIDS will prime offer in-depth HIV/AIDS background training to 1,200 "salon educators," relying on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as their apprise source for HIV/AIDS dope and prevention advice. The salon educators will then send HIV information and resource materials out to about half a million hairdressers nationwide. Christine Schuster, L'Oreal wickedness president of schooling and campaign chair, called the effort an "advocacy program" that will capitalize on salons' key post in communities to help dispel myths, such as the idea that HIV is no longer a significant health threat or that AIDS is now curable.

In fact, the electioneer notes that 1,1 million Americans are still living with HIV and every 9,5 minutes another American becomes infected. About one-fifth of those infected are meditation to be unaware of their status. "We want to get the palaver started," Schuster said, noting that the nation's half-million hairdressers come into get hold of with an average of 20 million clients per week. "There's no better place to have a conversation than in your state salon".

Within its first year, the US campaign hopes to reach upwards of 110 million American salon-goers, one haircut at a time. Outreach started in firm on Wednesday, with all 500 stylists who attended the UN found headed to Times Square with video cameras to shoot grassroots HIV balking videos. The finished products will be posted on the campaign's Web site, as well as on other collective media forums such as Facebook, to jumpstart the education process.

So "Education is key," said Johnny Wright, a fame hair stylist involved in the project who counts First Lady Michelle Obama as one of his clients. "As hair's breadth stylists we have a vital voice to help educate. So that means talking about using a condom, getting tested, expressive your partner's status, knowing your own status, conspiratorial about the celibacy option if that's appropriate for you. All that needs to be talked about. And I bargain it can be very easy for us as hairdressers to communicate all this to our clients" herpes. GBC's Tedstrom seconded that notion, pursuit Hairdressers Against AIDS "a tremendous opportunity to make a big difference".