NCJ Number
122896
Date Published
1990
Length
52 pages
Annotation
This document provides information on steps the Department of Defense (DOD) is taking to assess and monitor the prevalence of AIDS and to prevent and control the spread of AIDS in the military, how AIDS has affected operations and medical treatment facilities, and plans for dealing with an increased incidence of AIDS.
Abstract
In assessing and monitoring the prevalence of HIV infection among military personnel, DOD has tested over 90 percent of its active duty personnel at least once, and it plans to retest them periodically. DOD has offered varied education programs for the general military population and has provided counseling for HIV-infected members to help control the spread of AIDS. However, the education programs do not focus on modifying high-risk behaviors that place individuals at greater risk of infection. AIDS has had a minimal impact on overall DOD operations thus far, and its impact is unlikely to increase because a very small percentage of active duty members are likely to be infected by HIV. However, AIDS has had a significant impact on military hospitals primarily because of the strain placed on resources during mass testing. It is unclear how DOD plans to provide the resources needed to deal with the expected increase in demand for HIV AIDS-related health care services. Appendix.