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Australian Youth in the Dark About Sexual Health
A survey of more than 1,000 Australians ages 18 to 35 revealed widespread ignorance around sexual health issues. One in 10 men believed that oral contraception protects women from STDs. One in five men did not know STDs could harm their fertility. Almost half the respondents wrongly thought Pap testing could detect STD infection. Four in 10 young people did not know when a woman is mostly likely to become pregnant. “The level of misinformation about sexual health should be a concern, particularly given recent figures which show the incidence of STIs has been increasing again in Australia,” said Dr. Stan Goldstein, head of clinical advisory for the private health insurer Bupa, which commissioned the survey in July.
China AIDS Activist Freed After Finishing One-Year Sentence
A Chinese AIDS activist who has campaigned on behalf of those infected with HIV through the government blood supply has been freed from prison after serving a one-year sentence for “intentional destruction of property.” Tian Xi “is completely free,” his lawyer said, and has returned to his parents’ home in Henan. Tian, who contracted HIV through a blood transfusion as a child, was detained last August after he broke some items during an argument at a hospital where he had gone to request more medicine. He was sentenced in February; his prison term ended Wednesday because authorities gave him credit for the months he was jailed before his trial. In the 1990s, tens of thousands of Chinese villagers were infected with HIV through unsanitary government-backed or illegal blood-buying programs.
Human Services Agency Extends Free HIV Testing
The Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency has announced it now offers free HIV testing on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Testing can be done anonymously, without identification, or confidentially, with identification and formal written results. There are no income or residency requirements; appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. The agency is located at 196 Cesar E. Chavez in Pontiac; for more information, telephone 248-209-2661.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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