The Solution Part One: Testing
In Santa Clara County, the spread of HIV is rampant throughout the gay community, and in general among men who have sex with men (abbreviated MSM) (See papers one and two: Perceptions and Correlations). Because they are the main risk group in this part of California, prevention and testing services should concentrate on targeting MSM. The spread of HIV here knows no boundaries when it comes to race and ethnicity, so everyone is at risk. While rates are higher in certain demographic groups, there is no significant association between AIDS rates in cities and towns in Santa Clara County and any racial or ethnic group (See paper two: Correlations).
Santa Clara County has the opportunity to set an example for aggressive and effective HIV testing, counseling, and prevention that the rest of the state can follow. Because Santa Clara County is not alone in its demographic characteristics, effective programs can be efficiently adapted to other communities in California. Unfortunately, California is unique in the United States in its demographic characteristics for both the state as a whole and the AIDS epidemic, so it may be more difficult to adapt these programs elsewhere in the country, and to take programs elsewhere in the country and adapt them to Santa Clara County (California – DP-1., Census Bureau).
