An AIDS expo in Palm Springs that kicked off the White Party drew about 100 people to the convention center Friday.

The National Association of People with AIDS hosted the expo as part of its regional meeting to encourage those living with HIV/AIDS locally to talk about their concerns and advocate for effective state and federal policies, as reported on mydesert.com.

“We're taking it on the road so we can hear from different communities to hear what their concerns and needs are,” Stephen Bailous, a spokesman with the organization, said.

“It's important that we continue to do this to empower the community.”

Founded in 1983, the Maryland- based nonprofit organization advocates and educates policy makers on behalf of those living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS is an issue that is particularly important in the Palm Springs area, which boasts one of the largest gay populations per capita in the United States. Gay and bisexual men of all races account for the majority of those living with HIV.

“We've got to make it easy for people to get care,” Bailous said.

The topics included in the regional meeting were party drugs and HIV, dating with HIV, and HIV and Hepatitis.

The prevalence of drug use among gays varies, but a 2001 study showed that 15 percent of men having sex with men in San Francisco had used methamphetamines during anal sex. Meth use among gays locally and during the White Party in particular, has been a concern among health care advocates.

About a dozen people attending a panel discussion Friday on party drugs and HIV were interested in whether meth could be used recreationally without becoming addicted.

“It's kind of like playing Russian roulette,” said Mike Rizzo, manager of the crystal meth recovery services with the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center.

“The odds are against you. Why risk it?” he said.

Among some of the concerns the association has fielded are health care costs associated with HIV and access to care.

The AIDS expo coincided with White Party, the largest, most well-known event for gay men in the United States.

Founded in 1990, the White Party attracts about 20,000 men to the valley each year who spend about $3.9 million in the local economy.

“One of the wonderful things these regional NAPWA meetings do is help fight the stigma and isolation that still exists for many people living with HIV or AIDS,” David Brinkman, executive director of Desert AIDS Project said in a statement to The Desert Sun.

“They provide a forum for discussing their concerns with others who truly understand. Since that's a part of what we do every day at DAP.”

Established in 1984, the Desert AIDS Project serves people in the valley living with HIV and AIDS with medical care and social services.

In 2006, about 1.1 million adults and adolescents were living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California has one of the highest infection rates in the U.S. Riverside County ranks fifth in the state, with about 4,200 people infected or living with AIDS.