In Southwest Philadelphia, a Grassroots Campaign to Do One Thing
An RV doubling as a mobile medical unit is roaming the streets of Southwest Philadelphia, idling at community centers and in church parking lots, hoping to persuade locals to agree to one thing — a rapid HIV test.
After a painless mouth swabbing, participants can learn their HIV status in a cool 20 minutes.
The mobile testing is part of a campaign called Do One Thing, Change Everything, a grassroots effort to encourage community members to “know their status.”
Using viral marketing and old-fashioned door-to-door canvassing, Do One Thing is making inroads in its target area — zip code 19143 — pounding pavement to distribute door knockers and its message. The campaign hopes to test 5,000 people for HIV and Hepatitis C.
The Southwest Philadelphia area in focus is medically underserved, reporting “among the highest rates of HIV infection and AIDS-related mortality in the city,” explained Dr. Amy Nunn, an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brown University who leads the effort.
In Philadelphia, infection rates are five times higher than the national average. Neighborhoods with high poverty levels also have higher rates of HIV infection. “Where you live can place you at greater risk for contracting HIV. This is a social justice issue,” Nunn said.
Buoyed by the support of local groups, community leaders and block captains, Do One Thing is using a multifaceted outreach approach, partnering with dozens of clergy members to get their congregations aware — and tested.
Sleek lawn signs will soon be scattered across the target area, joining a series of billboards developed with Clear Channel, and a mural is also planned. Do One Thing’s social media campaign texts and tweets the location of the mobile medical unit, allowing followers to track its whereabouts in real time.
For residents who may feel anxious about lingering aboard the RV to learn their status — possibly within earshot of their neighbors — a nearby health center provides free, walk-in testing. “The crux of this campaign is that it’s a community mobilization project,” said Emily Nichols, Director of the Health Annex, located at 6120 Woodland Avenue, the partnering clinical site. Two hundred and fifty people are tested there each month.
“Southwest residents have such pride and are tight-knit. I think they are going to band together even more than they already do because this is about their community,” she added.
Do One Thing documents and shares photos of people showing their support for the campaign on their Facebook page.
Treatment is Prevention
Much has changed in the three decades since HIV/AIDS first emerged as a public health crisis, sparking fierce debate and paranoia. “We are at a unique point in the epidemic. HIV is not a death sentence anymore,” explained Dr. Ian Frank, a Medical Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
“Treatment is very simple, very effective, and well tolerated. [HIV-positive] folks have a life expectancy that’s pretty much the same as anyone else’s,” he added.
Yet haziness around the risk factors of acquiring HIV has proved to be a barrier. Until now, most testing was conducted in hospitals and health centers, requiring people to seek it out. Do One Thing is an effort to change that, instead bringing the testing directly to the community.
The mobile medical unit is one of many awareness tools that are working to reduce the stigma of getting tested. “We are trying to normalize it,” noted Nunn. Her staff is comprised of many medical and health professional students, all of whom undergo a rigorous training program prior to their fieldwork. Once testing is complete and participants are counseled about their status, staff can immediately link them to medical care — even accompanying them on up to three visits.
“Our goal is to retain participants in care and provide them with all the infrastructure and support they need to adhere to their medications,” Nunn said.
For those who need HIV-related care but may not be insured or able to afford it, a federal initiative called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program fills gaps unmet by other sources. Many community-based health providers — including the Health Annex — participate in the program. Funded by Gilead Sciences, Do One Thing wants to blaze a new trail by convincing everyone who lives in zip code 19143 to get tested.
In the process, it also hopes to become a national model for neighborhood-based HIV prevention. “Our campaign is not about risk behaviors, but geography,” said Nunn.
Individuals interested in volunteering are encouraged to email do1nething@gmail.com to find out how to get involved with displaying posters and yard signs, hosting test events, joining the outreach team, or spreading the word.
Photos by Andrew Reiner
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