Infectious Diseases

Do One Thing

Living in a neighborhood with high rates of HIV infection can increase one’s risk of coming in contact with, and thus contracting, the virus. Often the most heavily affected neighborhoods have few medical resources.

To bring higher levels of testing to one such community with high rates of HIV infection, members of our Division of Infectious Diseases established “Do One Thing,” an HIV and hepatitis C testing and treatment campaign that addresses an unmet need for HIV testing and care services in one southwest Philadelphia neighborhood that is disproportionately affected by the diseases.

This campaign aims to both dramatically stimulate demand for and provide HIV testing in the zip code 19143 area, and to retain as many people as possible in HIV treatment and care.

“Do One Thing” includes:

  • Large-scale media partnerships, all coordinated and designed to remove the stigma of HIV infection and to promote HIV testing in the ZIP code 19143 area
  • Extensive community outreach and mobilization
  • Partnership with a federally qualified health center in southwest Philadelphia that offers routine HIV testing
  • A city block based HIV testing program in which trained counselors and testers link HIV-positive individuals to treatment and care services
  • Other community testing events at houses of worship, businesses and other community organizations in the ZIP code 19143 area

Learn more about Do One Thing

group of volunteers
Do One Thing volunteers take part in the program's door-to-door campaign. Photo courtesy: Generocity.org