September 27 is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD) is observed annually on the last Friday of September.

The National Association of People with ADIS (NAPWA) created the day in 2008 to recognize the disproportionate impact it has on gay men, according to the National Day Calendar website.

“The focus of the day is to bring awareness to the growing issue of HIV/AIDS in the gay community while motivating individuals to get tested and attain services,” according to The Aids Institute.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) website states gay and bisexual men make up 67 percent of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. and continue to be the population most affected.

The CDC website also stated that “new HIV diagnoses have remained stable in recent years (26,844 in 2016) among gay and bisexual men overall, and new diagnoses are falling among some age and racial/ethnic groups.”

One in 6 gay and bisexual men with HIV do not know they have it. The CDC recommends “everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care and those at high risk get tested at least once a year. Some sexually active gay and bisexual men may benefit from more frequent testing (every 3 to 6 months).”

At Iowa State University students can go to the Thielen Health center to receive HIV testing.

On Oct. 24, Student Wellness, Thielen Student Health Center and Primary Health Care are hosting a FREE and confidential HIV/STI testing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Memorial Union.

Primary Health Care will be bringing their new mobile testing unit to campus – located outside of MU by Lake Laverne. Stop by anytime during the event time. STI tests include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis,” according to The Center for LGBTQIA+ Student Success website.

To find a testing site near you, use the Doing It testing locator, text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948) or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.