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More than 40 health screenings will be offered to the public this Saturday at the Columbus Health Department’s 2012 Health Expo. In addition to the three most popular tests - for blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol - attendees can be checked for HIV, sickle cell disease, various cancers, and bone density. Mental health and oral exams will be conducted; vouchers will be offered for breast and Pap tests.
“You can’t fix what you haven’t identified, and screening can help identify something before it becomes a problem,” said Mark Ellis, one of the event’s planners and the health promotions coordinator for the West Central Health District. After undergoing the tests, each individual will meet with a doctor or nurse who will explain the results.
Parking, admission, and testing all are free; however, Jack Lockwood, the event’s public relations director, advised people to come early. During the expo’s 11-year history, more than 12,000 people have undergone more than 44,000 health screenings.
The expo takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, 801 Front Ave.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
South Africa Recalls 'Faulty' ANC Celebration Condoms
The Free State Health Department is recalling 1.35 million condoms distributed ahead of the recent African National Congress centenary celebrations, but it called the step a “precautionary measure” and urged the public not to panic.
The problems with the condoms came to light after people notified the AIDS service organization Treatment Action Campaign. “The complaints are that the condoms broke during intercourse,” said TAC’s Sello Mokhalipi.
In tests TAC conducted, “When you poured water in them, the water seeped through,” he said. FSHD spokesperson Jabu Mbalula declined to confirm or deny the reports but said the department is investigating. The condoms “are still out there in large numbers, and that is of great concern to us,” Mokhalipi said. South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of HIV infection.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The problems with the condoms came to light after people notified the AIDS service organization Treatment Action Campaign. “The complaints are that the condoms broke during intercourse,” said TAC’s Sello Mokhalipi.
In tests TAC conducted, “When you poured water in them, the water seeped through,” he said. FSHD spokesperson Jabu Mbalula declined to confirm or deny the reports but said the department is investigating. The condoms “are still out there in large numbers, and that is of great concern to us,” Mokhalipi said. South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of HIV infection.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Interview: UNAIDS Chief Urges Technology Transfer to Africa
Industrial technology transfers should be used to help Africa fight HIV/AIDS, the head of UNAIDS said Saturday on the sidelines of the 18th African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The New Agenda for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and UNAIDS are among agencies partnering for such transfers to enable Africa to produce its own AIDS drugs, Michel Sidibe said.
With an economic growth rate of over 6 percent on the continent, what matters now is “not only a development of infrastructure, but also a better life with good health for the African people,” Sidibe said. AIDS can be one platform for the transfer of drug-making technologies used in emerging markets such as China and Brazil, he said, suggesting that an AU summit address these opportunities. The private sector can be tapped for such social development.
“You cannot put someone under treatment for 30 years while believing that all relevant resources will come from outside,” Sidibe said. “I can say that pharmaceutical companies now are the first to seek a dialogue with the African continent.”
The period since the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS in June last year has provided a window of opportunity to talk about the sustainability of programs, Sidibe said. He also noted progress on the adoption of comprehensive mother-to-child HIV prevention programs in Africa, which most countries have plans to accelerate.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
With an economic growth rate of over 6 percent on the continent, what matters now is “not only a development of infrastructure, but also a better life with good health for the African people,” Sidibe said. AIDS can be one platform for the transfer of drug-making technologies used in emerging markets such as China and Brazil, he said, suggesting that an AU summit address these opportunities. The private sector can be tapped for such social development.
“You cannot put someone under treatment for 30 years while believing that all relevant resources will come from outside,” Sidibe said. “I can say that pharmaceutical companies now are the first to seek a dialogue with the African continent.”
The period since the UN General Assembly High Level Meeting on AIDS in June last year has provided a window of opportunity to talk about the sustainability of programs, Sidibe said. He also noted progress on the adoption of comprehensive mother-to-child HIV prevention programs in Africa, which most countries have plans to accelerate.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Most with HIV Skip Treatment
New estimates from the state Department of Health (DOH) show more than two-thirds of Mississippians who test HIV-positive are not on treatment, placing their health in jeopardy and increasing the risk of infecting others.
Stigma, cost, and lack of access to care are among reasons why some people with HIV avoid treatment, say health officials. Many patients “don’t want others to know they’re HIV-infected,” said Dr. Leandro Mena, associate professor of medicine for the infectious-disease division at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
“Some people in the Delta drive here to Jackson because they don’t want the stigma,” said Valencia Robinson, an AIDS advocate and executive director for Mississippi in Action.
Access to care is a problem. “Where there is not reliable public transportation, patients have to rely on other people to take them to appointments, which means they have to tell them about their HIV infection,” said Mena.
Another issue is HIV’s link to poverty. Some 312 of the 572 HIV patients who see case managers at DOH clinics are living well below the poverty line, said Dr. Nicholas Mosca, DOH’s HIV director. Patients who qualify for Medicaid are covered for up to five medications, but brand-name drugs are limited, he said.
Across the state, more than 9,500 residents are known to have HIV; almost one-quarter of them live in Hinds County. Mississippi has an HIV mortality rate of 5.9 per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 3.7.
DOH officials are hoping to get $6 million in state matching funds to complement $13 million in Ryan White federal funds this legislative session. The money goes toward providing HIV care for low-income residents, said State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Stigma, cost, and lack of access to care are among reasons why some people with HIV avoid treatment, say health officials. Many patients “don’t want others to know they’re HIV-infected,” said Dr. Leandro Mena, associate professor of medicine for the infectious-disease division at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
“Some people in the Delta drive here to Jackson because they don’t want the stigma,” said Valencia Robinson, an AIDS advocate and executive director for Mississippi in Action.
Access to care is a problem. “Where there is not reliable public transportation, patients have to rely on other people to take them to appointments, which means they have to tell them about their HIV infection,” said Mena.
Another issue is HIV’s link to poverty. Some 312 of the 572 HIV patients who see case managers at DOH clinics are living well below the poverty line, said Dr. Nicholas Mosca, DOH’s HIV director. Patients who qualify for Medicaid are covered for up to five medications, but brand-name drugs are limited, he said.
Across the state, more than 9,500 residents are known to have HIV; almost one-quarter of them live in Hinds County. Mississippi has an HIV mortality rate of 5.9 per 100,000 population, compared to the national rate of 3.7.
DOH officials are hoping to get $6 million in state matching funds to complement $13 million in Ryan White federal funds this legislative session. The money goes toward providing HIV care for low-income residents, said State Health Officer Dr. Mary Currier.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Health Department to Offer STD Testing in Republic
Beginning Feb. 3, STD testing will be offered on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Women, Infants & Children clinic at 937 E. Lindsey St. in Republic.
The tests conducted - for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV - are the same confidential, no-cost services the department already offers at its offices in Springfield.
For more information, telephone 417-732-1439 or 417-864-1672, or visit: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/health/std.html.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The tests conducted - for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV - are the same confidential, no-cost services the department already offers at its offices in Springfield.
For more information, telephone 417-732-1439 or 417-864-1672, or visit: http://www.springfieldmo.gov/health/std.html.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
HIV Campaign Launches in Atlanta
Atlanta will be the first city to debut “Testing Makes Us Stronger,” a new campaign to encourage black gay and bisexual men to be screened for HIV.
The outreach is part of CDC’s “Act Against AIDS” initiative, an effort to refocus the nation’s attention on the importance of HIV testing and prevention.
The Fulton County Department of Health Services will provide free HIV testing to residents Feb. 2-3. Testing will be conducted Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Avenue MARTA station and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lindbergh MARTA station.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The outreach is part of CDC’s “Act Against AIDS” initiative, an effort to refocus the nation’s attention on the importance of HIV testing and prevention.
The Fulton County Department of Health Services will provide free HIV testing to residents Feb. 2-3. Testing will be conducted Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the North Avenue MARTA station and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lindbergh MARTA station.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Chicago Gets $1 Million for HIV Testing and Treatment
The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration is awarding Chicago almost $1 million to add routine HIV testing and counseling to the services offered by community mental health and substance abuse centers.
The Chicago Department of Public Health announced the grants on Sunday. The new money follows $500,000 in city funds allocated to increase psychiatric services offered by community mental health centers.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The Chicago Department of Public Health announced the grants on Sunday. The new money follows $500,000 in city funds allocated to increase psychiatric services offered by community mental health centers.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Much-Debated Issue of Condoms in Schools OK'd
Rochester schools soon will make condoms available to high school students, following a 4-3 vote Thursday in favor of the policy.
Nearly a year ago, local health experts recommended a condom distribution program to the district school board as a way to help teens avoid STDs and unplanned pregnancies. Officials with the Metro Council for Teen Potential and the Monroe County Department of Public Health cited a recent youth behavior survey indicating that 58 percent of Rochester ninth- through 12th-graders reported being sexually active, of which 21 percent said they had had at least four partners. In a typical year, 8 percent of girls ages 15-19 give birth. In 2005, 19 percent of babies born in the city were born to mothers ages 10-19.
The proposal sparked controversy, with hundreds of people for and against it attending school board meetings. Many of those same people were on hand for Thursday’s board vote.
“We’re not going to appease everyone,” said board member José Cruz, who voted in favor of the program along with Mary Adams, Malik Evans, and Willa Powell. “Our job is to make the best decision we can with what we hear.” Melisza Campos, Cynthia Elliott, and Van White voted against the proposal.
Under the program, condoms will be made available at health clinics in city high schools. Health professionals will provide information about proper usage and sexual risks.
School officials are reworking lessons on reproductive and sexual health; these may incorporate community-based resources and more of a focus on contraceptive usage. Parents will be able to opt their children out of the lessons and block their access to condoms.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Nearly a year ago, local health experts recommended a condom distribution program to the district school board as a way to help teens avoid STDs and unplanned pregnancies. Officials with the Metro Council for Teen Potential and the Monroe County Department of Public Health cited a recent youth behavior survey indicating that 58 percent of Rochester ninth- through 12th-graders reported being sexually active, of which 21 percent said they had had at least four partners. In a typical year, 8 percent of girls ages 15-19 give birth. In 2005, 19 percent of babies born in the city were born to mothers ages 10-19.
The proposal sparked controversy, with hundreds of people for and against it attending school board meetings. Many of those same people were on hand for Thursday’s board vote.
“We’re not going to appease everyone,” said board member José Cruz, who voted in favor of the program along with Mary Adams, Malik Evans, and Willa Powell. “Our job is to make the best decision we can with what we hear.” Melisza Campos, Cynthia Elliott, and Van White voted against the proposal.
Under the program, condoms will be made available at health clinics in city high schools. Health professionals will provide information about proper usage and sexual risks.
School officials are reworking lessons on reproductive and sexual health; these may incorporate community-based resources and more of a focus on contraceptive usage. Parents will be able to opt their children out of the lessons and block their access to condoms.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
UNAIDS Chief Cautions Africa on AIDS Dependency Crisis
Rather than remain dependent on donor money, African leaders must look for alternative ways to fund a sustained response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the executive director of UNAIDS said Saturday in Addis Ababa. Michel Sidibe, who is in Ethiopia for the 18th African Union summit, warned that the continuing global economic downturn likely will reduce further the money available to fight the disease.
“Africa is too dependent on external resources, especially for the AIDS response,” said Sidibe, who identified this dependence as “a source of great risk and potential instability. The status quo cannot be sustained. It is time for a new development paradigm that is developed and owned by the leaders of Africa.”
UNAIDS estimates that two-thirds of the money spent to fight AIDS in Africa comes from international funding sources. The vast majority of antiretrovirals used to treat HIV in Africa are imported from generic manufacturers.
The agency also estimates that Africa will need $11 billion-$12 billion to combat AIDS by 2015, that is $3 billion-$4 billion more than is being spent currently. In addition to leveraging public-private partnerships, UNAIDS suggested taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and cell phones as ways to raise the money needed.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
“Africa is too dependent on external resources, especially for the AIDS response,” said Sidibe, who identified this dependence as “a source of great risk and potential instability. The status quo cannot be sustained. It is time for a new development paradigm that is developed and owned by the leaders of Africa.”
UNAIDS estimates that two-thirds of the money spent to fight AIDS in Africa comes from international funding sources. The vast majority of antiretrovirals used to treat HIV in Africa are imported from generic manufacturers.
The agency also estimates that Africa will need $11 billion-$12 billion to combat AIDS by 2015, that is $3 billion-$4 billion more than is being spent currently. In addition to leveraging public-private partnerships, UNAIDS suggested taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and cell phones as ways to raise the money needed.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Drug-Users' Needles Endanger Public, Study Shows
A new study comparing needle disposal practices in Miami and San Francisco illustrates how legislative support for harm-reduction strategies like needle exchange can impact transmission rates of diseases like HIV and hepatitis.
Hansel Tookes and colleagues at the University of Miami interviewed 448 injection drug users in the city’s downtown area who admitted throwing away a total of 9,845 syringes during a one-month period. The IDUs either shared or sold some 700 needles. In all, 95 percent of the used needles were disposed of improperly - in public trash cans, on sidewalks, in parks, into sewers and down toilets. By contrast, just 13 percent of used needles in San Francisco were improperly disposed of.
In 2009, IDUs accounted for 9 percent of new HIV infections in the United States, 15 percent of new hepatitis B cases and 44 percent of new hepatitis C infections. “Many [IDUs] contract these viral infections through the sharing of contaminated syringes,” Tookes wrote. Non-IDUs are at risk of infection “through accidental needle-sticks from unsafely disposed contaminated syringes,” though such transmissions are rare.
San Francisco has had needle-exchange programs since 1988. Florida law bans NEPs, so it is not among the 32 states in which 220 such programs are distributing 30 million clean needles, according to the North American Syringe Exchange Network.
A 2009 study in the Journal of Urban Health reported that 12 percent of San Francisco IDUs were HIV-positive, compared to 23 percent of IDUs in Miami-Dade.
Tom Liberti, chief of the Florida Department of Health HIV/AIDS Bureau, said he would support NEPs on the grounds they reduce disease; however, no legislation is in process to repeal the ban, which has been on the books for more than a decade.
The study, “A Comparison of Syringe Disposal Practices Among Injection Drug Users in a City With Versus a City Without Needle and Syringe Programs,” was published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2011; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.001).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Hansel Tookes and colleagues at the University of Miami interviewed 448 injection drug users in the city’s downtown area who admitted throwing away a total of 9,845 syringes during a one-month period. The IDUs either shared or sold some 700 needles. In all, 95 percent of the used needles were disposed of improperly - in public trash cans, on sidewalks, in parks, into sewers and down toilets. By contrast, just 13 percent of used needles in San Francisco were improperly disposed of.
In 2009, IDUs accounted for 9 percent of new HIV infections in the United States, 15 percent of new hepatitis B cases and 44 percent of new hepatitis C infections. “Many [IDUs] contract these viral infections through the sharing of contaminated syringes,” Tookes wrote. Non-IDUs are at risk of infection “through accidental needle-sticks from unsafely disposed contaminated syringes,” though such transmissions are rare.
San Francisco has had needle-exchange programs since 1988. Florida law bans NEPs, so it is not among the 32 states in which 220 such programs are distributing 30 million clean needles, according to the North American Syringe Exchange Network.
A 2009 study in the Journal of Urban Health reported that 12 percent of San Francisco IDUs were HIV-positive, compared to 23 percent of IDUs in Miami-Dade.
Tom Liberti, chief of the Florida Department of Health HIV/AIDS Bureau, said he would support NEPs on the grounds they reduce disease; however, no legislation is in process to repeal the ban, which has been on the books for more than a decade.
The study, “A Comparison of Syringe Disposal Practices Among Injection Drug Users in a City With Versus a City Without Needle and Syringe Programs,” was published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2011; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.12.001).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Doctors Without Borders: 15,000 Congo AIDS Victims Likely Will Die
Just 15 percent of people with AIDS in the Democratic Republic of Congo have access to antiretroviral therapy (ARVs), according to a new DWB report. DWB said donor nations reneging on pledges to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria - the country’s leading supplier of ARVs - has led the fund to sharply reduce support. In addition, DRC’s government has not made free ARVs a priority, the report said.
DWB was the first organization to provide free ARVs in Congo, in 2003, and today treats more than 10 percent of DRC patients on ARVs, including 20 percent of those on therapy in Kinshasa. However, only 44,000 of the estimated 350,000 people in DRC with AIDS who need ARVs receive them. Some 15,000 people waiting for ARVs likely will die in the next three years, DWB said.
The pullback of donor support for the Global Fund “is directly threatening the lives of thousands of people in DRC,” DWB said. Only 1 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women have access to ARVs to protect their babies from the virus; as a result, about one-third of those infants exposed to HIV will be infected, the report said.
“What I’m seeing in DRC has not existed elsewhere for years,” said Anja De Weggheleire, the DWB medical coordinator for the nation. “The situation here reminds me of the time before any antiretroviral treatment was available.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
DWB was the first organization to provide free ARVs in Congo, in 2003, and today treats more than 10 percent of DRC patients on ARVs, including 20 percent of those on therapy in Kinshasa. However, only 44,000 of the estimated 350,000 people in DRC with AIDS who need ARVs receive them. Some 15,000 people waiting for ARVs likely will die in the next three years, DWB said.
The pullback of donor support for the Global Fund “is directly threatening the lives of thousands of people in DRC,” DWB said. Only 1 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women have access to ARVs to protect their babies from the virus; as a result, about one-third of those infants exposed to HIV will be infected, the report said.
“What I’m seeing in DRC has not existed elsewhere for years,” said Anja De Weggheleire, the DWB medical coordinator for the nation. “The situation here reminds me of the time before any antiretroviral treatment was available.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
STD Drug Bill Falls Short
Nebraska legislators rejected a bill Wednesday that would have allowed doctors, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to prescribe treatment for the partners of STD patients without an examination.
Expedited partner therapy is legal in 30 states and is endorsed by CDC, but the measure to permit it in Nebraska fell four votes short of advancing to the second round of debate. “We’re dealing with an epidemic,” said Sen. Amanda McGill (Lincoln). “I encourage you to look at the reality, even if you may not approve of certain sexual behaviors.”
Others, however, raised concerns about providing antibiotics to individuals who had not been evaluated by a health professional. “I just don’t think we should be passing medicine on,” said Sen. John Harms (Scottsbluff).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Expedited partner therapy is legal in 30 states and is endorsed by CDC, but the measure to permit it in Nebraska fell four votes short of advancing to the second round of debate. “We’re dealing with an epidemic,” said Sen. Amanda McGill (Lincoln). “I encourage you to look at the reality, even if you may not approve of certain sexual behaviors.”
Others, however, raised concerns about providing antibiotics to individuals who had not been evaluated by a health professional. “I just don’t think we should be passing medicine on,” said Sen. John Harms (Scottsbluff).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Anti-AIDS Program for Hispaniola Launched at MSU
Michigan State University health officials hope the univerisity’s Institute of International Health will boost HIV prevention efforts on Hispaniola, home of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The island accounts for about 75 percent of AIDS cases in the Caribbean, and IIH Director Reza Nassiri said the two nations “have struggled to respond to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS based upon the resources available to them.”
MSU’s approach will include training and mentoring nurses, social workers, and other health professionals, Nassiri said, adding that the IIH plan will be presented at the Global Risk Forum’s One Health Summit 2012, to be held in Davos, Switzerland, Feb. 19-22.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The island accounts for about 75 percent of AIDS cases in the Caribbean, and IIH Director Reza Nassiri said the two nations “have struggled to respond to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS based upon the resources available to them.”
MSU’s approach will include training and mentoring nurses, social workers, and other health professionals, Nassiri said, adding that the IIH plan will be presented at the Global Risk Forum’s One Health Summit 2012, to be held in Davos, Switzerland, Feb. 19-22.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Risk Factors for HIV in Gangs to Be Studied: Interviews to Be Held with Local Members
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) will use a four-year, $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Drug Abuse to study HIV risks among teen gang members. The knowledge gained will be used to tailor HIV prevention interventions specific to this population.
More than 450 Milwaukee gang members ages 14-19 will be interviewed. These high-risk youths will be indentified and recruited by peers and through community-based groups. Eligible participants will spend about 1.5 hours completing an in-depth interview and receive $30.
Researchers and health care providers have become increasingly concerned about HIV-related risk behaviors among youths, especially African-American and Latino teens, said Julia B. Dickson-Gomez, the study’s principal investigator and a professor and faculty member at MCW’s Center for AIDS Intervention Research. While most prevention is focused at the school or community level, little has been developed for those high-risk teens, like gang members, who are less likely to attend school and receive targeted HIV education, she said.
“Part of the research will question the level of gang organization, and how that affects HIV risk,” said Dickson-Gomez. “One risk behavior may compound another.”
According to Dickson-Gomez, Milwaukee has a “perfect storm” of conditions for encouraging youth gangs: poverty, “alarmingly high rates of risky sex,” low high school graduation rates, and a high teen birth rate. Gangs vary in size and structure, from neighborhood-based groups to highly organized, corporate-style gangs that tend to have female members, formal rules, and initiation rites. Girls will comprise at least 20 percent-40 percent of the interviews.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
More than 450 Milwaukee gang members ages 14-19 will be interviewed. These high-risk youths will be indentified and recruited by peers and through community-based groups. Eligible participants will spend about 1.5 hours completing an in-depth interview and receive $30.
Researchers and health care providers have become increasingly concerned about HIV-related risk behaviors among youths, especially African-American and Latino teens, said Julia B. Dickson-Gomez, the study’s principal investigator and a professor and faculty member at MCW’s Center for AIDS Intervention Research. While most prevention is focused at the school or community level, little has been developed for those high-risk teens, like gang members, who are less likely to attend school and receive targeted HIV education, she said.
“Part of the research will question the level of gang organization, and how that affects HIV risk,” said Dickson-Gomez. “One risk behavior may compound another.”
According to Dickson-Gomez, Milwaukee has a “perfect storm” of conditions for encouraging youth gangs: poverty, “alarmingly high rates of risky sex,” low high school graduation rates, and a high teen birth rate. Gangs vary in size and structure, from neighborhood-based groups to highly organized, corporate-style gangs that tend to have female members, formal rules, and initiation rites. Girls will comprise at least 20 percent-40 percent of the interviews.
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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Gates Injects $750 Million in Troubled Global Fund
On Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Bill Gates announced a $750 million infusion to the beleaguered Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The Microsoft founder said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s new pledge, which comes on top of the $650 million it contributed to the fund during the past decade, is meant to encourage business elite attending the meeting to support development investments.
“These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world’s poorest,” Gates said.
Donor backlash over the mismanagement of money by four recipient countries caused the $23 billion fund to cancel more than $1 billion in new awards late last year. Dr. Michel Kazatchkine earlier this week resigned as the fund’s executive director. The promissory note from the Gates Foundation means the fund “can immediately use the money and save lives,” said Gates.
Gates also said he hoped that lending his credibility to the fund would reassure other donors. “The internal checks and balances have worked in every case,” he told reporters, noting it was “disappointing” to see how people have focused on a “small misuse of funds.”
Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said his nation has contributed $1.3 billion to the fund. “The European debt crisis is shaking the world economy, which in turn seriously affects the fortunes of the Global Fund. But it doesn’t mean the significance of the Global Fund is less,” said Kan. He added, however, that the Global Fund’s “transparency,” which includes uncovering and publicizing the money mismanagement crisis, must be maintained.
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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“These are tough economic times, but that is no excuse for cutting aid to the world’s poorest,” Gates said.
Donor backlash over the mismanagement of money by four recipient countries caused the $23 billion fund to cancel more than $1 billion in new awards late last year. Dr. Michel Kazatchkine earlier this week resigned as the fund’s executive director. The promissory note from the Gates Foundation means the fund “can immediately use the money and save lives,” said Gates.
Gates also said he hoped that lending his credibility to the fund would reassure other donors. “The internal checks and balances have worked in every case,” he told reporters, noting it was “disappointing” to see how people have focused on a “small misuse of funds.”
Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said his nation has contributed $1.3 billion to the fund. “The European debt crisis is shaking the world economy, which in turn seriously affects the fortunes of the Global Fund. But it doesn’t mean the significance of the Global Fund is less,” said Kan. He added, however, that the Global Fund’s “transparency,” which includes uncovering and publicizing the money mismanagement crisis, must be maintained.
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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Romance in Digital Age: Casual Sex Is Having Unintended Results for More Young Adults
The number of college-age students getting STDs is rising, with about 36,000 Floridians in their early 20s having contracted chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in 2010. That amounted to about 3 percent of the age group. New HIV case numbers also have risen over the past decade, though not as much as STDs.
Plenty of young couples are in steady, monogamous relationships, college students interviewed said, but many acknowledged the prevalence of casual sex among peers, with the Internet and social media increasing the choice of partners. “You often see hookups in media representations, but it’s rare that you hear the characters talk about safe sex,” said Courtney Weaver, a sexual-health educator at Florida Atlantic University.
In South Florida, clubbing is a large part of the culture, and alcohol use and underage drinking have grown among college-age students in recent years, studies show. Safe sex is even less likely when alcohol is involved, educators noted.
“We know when kids drink, their judgment goes out the window,” said Sande Gracia Jones, a professor in Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Students hook up “to get what they need without being emotionally involved,” Weaver said. There is no shame about it in many cases, students said, and hooking up can blur into dating relationships.
“There’s a lot of serial monogamy,” said Albert Garcia, an FIU senior who educates students about sexual health. “They’re monogamous every couple of months and end up having four, five or six monogamous relationships in a year.”
Smartphone applications such as Skout and Streetspark are popular among young adults looking for casual sex. Through such apps, which use GPS technology to locate people, people can exchange messages and photos and arrange to meet.
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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Plenty of young couples are in steady, monogamous relationships, college students interviewed said, but many acknowledged the prevalence of casual sex among peers, with the Internet and social media increasing the choice of partners. “You often see hookups in media representations, but it’s rare that you hear the characters talk about safe sex,” said Courtney Weaver, a sexual-health educator at Florida Atlantic University.
In South Florida, clubbing is a large part of the culture, and alcohol use and underage drinking have grown among college-age students in recent years, studies show. Safe sex is even less likely when alcohol is involved, educators noted.
“We know when kids drink, their judgment goes out the window,” said Sande Gracia Jones, a professor in Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Students hook up “to get what they need without being emotionally involved,” Weaver said. There is no shame about it in many cases, students said, and hooking up can blur into dating relationships.
“There’s a lot of serial monogamy,” said Albert Garcia, an FIU senior who educates students about sexual health. “They’re monogamous every couple of months and end up having four, five or six monogamous relationships in a year.”
Smartphone applications such as Skout and Streetspark are popular among young adults looking for casual sex. Through such apps, which use GPS technology to locate people, people can exchange messages and photos and arrange to meet.
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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Northern Kentucky Health District Will Offer Free Testing on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
The Northern Kentucky Health Department will observe National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day by conducting free HIV testing at four locations from 1 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 7.
The rapid-result oral test will be offered at Boone County Health Center, 7505 Burlington Pike in Florence, telephone 859-363-2060; Campbell County Health Center, 1098 Monmouth St. in Newport, telephone 859-431-1704; Grant County Health Center, 234 Barnes Rd. in Williamstown, telephone 859-824-5074; and Kenton County Health Center, 2002 Madison Ave. in Covington, telephone 859-431-3345. For more information about HIV services available locally, telephone the Health Department at 859-341-4264.
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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The rapid-result oral test will be offered at Boone County Health Center, 7505 Burlington Pike in Florence, telephone 859-363-2060; Campbell County Health Center, 1098 Monmouth St. in Newport, telephone 859-431-1704; Grant County Health Center, 234 Barnes Rd. in Williamstown, telephone 859-824-5074; and Kenton County Health Center, 2002 Madison Ave. in Covington, telephone 859-431-3345. For more information about HIV services available locally, telephone the Health Department at 859-341-4264.
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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Los Angeles Mayor Signs Porn Star Condom Requirement
Under an ordinance signed into law on Monday, adult-film performers will have to use condoms on the set as a condition of obtaining a film permit from the city of Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed the measure after the City Council approved it earlier this month - avoiding bringing the matter before the voters as a ballot initiative, which would have cost $4 million. The new requirement is aimed at preventing STDs; it goes into effect in about 40 days.
The ordinance applies only to productions needing a city film permit; officials said a permit is not required for films shot on a soundstage. And most adult movies are shot on soundstages, said Diane Duke, executive director of the adult-film industry trade group Free Speech Coalition.
“The significance of this is it’s government reaching into areas it doesn’t belong,” said Duke. “It’s government telling us how to produce films, and it’s government regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults.”
“The tide of history here is pretty clear, and we’re not going to stop,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is gathering voter signatures for a ballot initiative in Los Angeles County that would require porn companies to obtain health permits, similar to those issued to barber shops. If approved, a permit system would require adult-film companies to comply with existing state workplace laws that mandate the use of condoms by performers, AHF officials said.
The adult-film industry is exploring moving productions to other localities, with Duke citing Florida and Nevada as possibilities. Just 35 miles from Los Angeles in nearby Simi Valley, the City Council next Monday will vote on a similar condom ordinance.
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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The ordinance applies only to productions needing a city film permit; officials said a permit is not required for films shot on a soundstage. And most adult movies are shot on soundstages, said Diane Duke, executive director of the adult-film industry trade group Free Speech Coalition.
“The significance of this is it’s government reaching into areas it doesn’t belong,” said Duke. “It’s government telling us how to produce films, and it’s government regulating sexual behavior between consenting adults.”
“The tide of history here is pretty clear, and we’re not going to stop,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is gathering voter signatures for a ballot initiative in Los Angeles County that would require porn companies to obtain health permits, similar to those issued to barber shops. If approved, a permit system would require adult-film companies to comply with existing state workplace laws that mandate the use of condoms by performers, AHF officials said.
The adult-film industry is exploring moving productions to other localities, with Duke citing Florida and Nevada as possibilities. Just 35 miles from Los Angeles in nearby Simi Valley, the City Council next Monday will vote on a similar condom ordinance.
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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Bill Gates Urges Increased Government Aid
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is calling on governments to increase their funding for global development assistance.
“Throughout my careers in software and philanthropy, a recurring theme has been that innovation is the key to improving the world. If we invest relatively modest amounts, many more poor farmers will be able to feed their families,” Gates wrote in his annual letter on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “If we don’t, one in seven people will continue living needlessly on the edge of starvation.”
The Microsoft co-founder said it is critical that global health concerns such as HIV/AIDS continue to be well-supported. “The cost of keeping a patient on AIDS drugs has been coming down, and it looks like getting it to $300 per patient per year could be achievable. That will mean every $300 that governments invest in the Global Fund will put another person on treatment for a year,” he noted. “Every $300 that’s not forthcoming will represent a person taken off treatment. I believe that if people understood the choice, they would ask their government to save more lives.”
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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“Throughout my careers in software and philanthropy, a recurring theme has been that innovation is the key to improving the world. If we invest relatively modest amounts, many more poor farmers will be able to feed their families,” Gates wrote in his annual letter on behalf of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “If we don’t, one in seven people will continue living needlessly on the edge of starvation.”
The Microsoft co-founder said it is critical that global health concerns such as HIV/AIDS continue to be well-supported. “The cost of keeping a patient on AIDS drugs has been coming down, and it looks like getting it to $300 per patient per year could be achievable. That will mean every $300 that governments invest in the Global Fund will put another person on treatment for a year,” he noted. “Every $300 that’s not forthcoming will represent a person taken off treatment. I believe that if people understood the choice, they would ask their government to save more lives.”
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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Global Fund Chief Quits After Funding Cuts
The executive director of the Geneva-based Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria said Tuesday he will step down in March. With five years on the job, Michel Kazatchkine has led the fund for half its existence.
The announcement caps a turbulent 2011 for the fund. In March, it commissioned a procedural review after reporting “grave misuse of funds” in four recipient nations. That announcement prompted donors like Germany and Sweden to freeze their Global Fund contributions. Then in November, the fund said it could not make any new grants or funding until 2014. Until then, any low- or middle-income countries funded under grants set to expire can apply for emergency maintenance money to bridge the gap.
The Global Fund also announced it was bringing in a new general manager, Gabriel Jaramillo. The Brazilian former banker was a member of the investigative panel tasked last year with assessing the fund’s fiduciary controls and oversight and making recommendations for improving the way donors’ money is managed.
In a statement, Jaramillo said his “priorities at the Global Fund are to achieve maximum efficiency, accountability and concrete results that save lives.” “In essence, we will start with a reorganization that emphasizes simplicity, discipline and rigor, with grant management as the core activity of the institution,” he said.
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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The announcement caps a turbulent 2011 for the fund. In March, it commissioned a procedural review after reporting “grave misuse of funds” in four recipient nations. That announcement prompted donors like Germany and Sweden to freeze their Global Fund contributions. Then in November, the fund said it could not make any new grants or funding until 2014. Until then, any low- or middle-income countries funded under grants set to expire can apply for emergency maintenance money to bridge the gap.
The Global Fund also announced it was bringing in a new general manager, Gabriel Jaramillo. The Brazilian former banker was a member of the investigative panel tasked last year with assessing the fund’s fiduciary controls and oversight and making recommendations for improving the way donors’ money is managed.
In a statement, Jaramillo said his “priorities at the Global Fund are to achieve maximum efficiency, accountability and concrete results that save lives.” “In essence, we will start with a reorganization that emphasizes simplicity, discipline and rigor, with grant management as the core activity of the institution,” he said.
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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Tribe Confronts HIV: Infections Are Rising in Navajo Nation, Where Poor Education Is Partly to Blame for the Virus' Spread
The Indian Medical Center (IMC) in Gallup, N.M., has become an epicenter in the struggle against rising HIV infections among Native Americans, mostly Navajo. In the vast expanse of the Four Corners region, poverty, poor education, alcohol and drug abuse form a high-risk environment for those living on the reservation.
The number of infections in the 173,600-person Navajo Nation is low: IMC and its satellite clinics log about 35 new cases a year. But that figure is three times what it was 10 years ago. Dr. Jonathan Iralu, infectious-disease specialist at IMC, said he began seeing signs of trouble in 2001, when testing indicated Navajo were infecting Navajo. Up until that point, HIV was rare on the reservation and usually seen in infected gay or bisexual men who returned home for treatment or to die, he said.
Larry Foster, the reservation’s STD coordinator, said health providers encounter resistance when talking to residents about the disease because in traditional Navajo culture to speak of death is to bring it about. “They didn’t want to listen because they thought we were bringing a curse, bringing death into their communities,” he said. Doctors must explain the virus in indirect ways, a serious prevention hurdle. Some Navajos learn about HIV/AIDS only upon receiving a diagnosis.
A small number of Indians are trying to warn Navajos about HIV/AIDS. Emerson Scott and Jerry Archuleta, partners who are both HIV-positive, volunteer with the Navajo AIDS Network, handing out condoms and pamphlets and urging people to get tested. So far, not one person has done so. “People just don’t want to change here,” said Archuleta. “They are so stuck in their ways.”
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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The number of infections in the 173,600-person Navajo Nation is low: IMC and its satellite clinics log about 35 new cases a year. But that figure is three times what it was 10 years ago. Dr. Jonathan Iralu, infectious-disease specialist at IMC, said he began seeing signs of trouble in 2001, when testing indicated Navajo were infecting Navajo. Up until that point, HIV was rare on the reservation and usually seen in infected gay or bisexual men who returned home for treatment or to die, he said.
Larry Foster, the reservation’s STD coordinator, said health providers encounter resistance when talking to residents about the disease because in traditional Navajo culture to speak of death is to bring it about. “They didn’t want to listen because they thought we were bringing a curse, bringing death into their communities,” he said. Doctors must explain the virus in indirect ways, a serious prevention hurdle. Some Navajos learn about HIV/AIDS only upon receiving a diagnosis.
A small number of Indians are trying to warn Navajos about HIV/AIDS. Emerson Scott and Jerry Archuleta, partners who are both HIV-positive, volunteer with the Navajo AIDS Network, handing out condoms and pamphlets and urging people to get tested. So far, not one person has done so. “People just don’t want to change here,” said Archuleta. “They are so stuck in their ways.”
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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Report: Americans Curbing Behaviors that Lead to HIV
Fewer Americans are engaging in behaviors that put them at risk for HIV, according to a CDC report released Thursday. The study is based on data from nearly 23,000 respondents to the 2006-10 National Survey of Family Growth, and it included comparisons with data from the 2002 NSFG. The participants, ages 15-44, were asked a number of questions, including some dealing with 10 HIV risk-related behaviors during the previous 12 months.
Approximately 10 percent of men and 8 percent of women reported engaging in at least one HIV risk behavior in the 2006-10 NSFG, down from 13 percent of men and 11 percent of women in the 2002 NSFG. To encourage honest responses, the survey uses laptops and headphones for questions about personal sexual and drug activity, so only the person taking the survey knows what is being asked and answered.
Categories that saw no significant change included the proportion of men reporting sex with men (2.1 percent) and respondents who reported five or more opposite-sex partners (3.9 percent of men, 1.8 percent of women).
However, reports of sex with a partner who injects drugs fell to less than 1 percent for both genders. Both males and females reported fewer episodes of sex in exchange for money or drugs (1.3 percent for men, 0.7 percent for women). The proportion of women reporting sex with male partners who had sex with other males fell from 2.3 percent to 1.4 percent. Among men, crack cocaine use decreased from 1.8 percent to 0.8 percent.
Nonetheless, a gender gap remained, with “lower levels of risk behaviors reported by women compared with men,” said Anjani Chandra, PhD, a health statistician and lead author of the National Center for Health Statistics report.
In addition, increases in one risk factor, STD treatment, could be seen in a positive light. Among women, reported STD treatment rose from 3.4 percent in 2002 to 4.1 percent of respondents in 2006-10.
The full report, “HIV Risk-Related Behaviors in the United States Household Population Aged 15-44 Years: Data from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2002 and 2006-2010,” was published in the National Health Statistics Report (2012;46).
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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Approximately 10 percent of men and 8 percent of women reported engaging in at least one HIV risk behavior in the 2006-10 NSFG, down from 13 percent of men and 11 percent of women in the 2002 NSFG. To encourage honest responses, the survey uses laptops and headphones for questions about personal sexual and drug activity, so only the person taking the survey knows what is being asked and answered.
Categories that saw no significant change included the proportion of men reporting sex with men (2.1 percent) and respondents who reported five or more opposite-sex partners (3.9 percent of men, 1.8 percent of women).
However, reports of sex with a partner who injects drugs fell to less than 1 percent for both genders. Both males and females reported fewer episodes of sex in exchange for money or drugs (1.3 percent for men, 0.7 percent for women). The proportion of women reporting sex with male partners who had sex with other males fell from 2.3 percent to 1.4 percent. Among men, crack cocaine use decreased from 1.8 percent to 0.8 percent.
Nonetheless, a gender gap remained, with “lower levels of risk behaviors reported by women compared with men,” said Anjani Chandra, PhD, a health statistician and lead author of the National Center for Health Statistics report.
In addition, increases in one risk factor, STD treatment, could be seen in a positive light. Among women, reported STD treatment rose from 3.4 percent in 2002 to 4.1 percent of respondents in 2006-10.
The full report, “HIV Risk-Related Behaviors in the United States Household Population Aged 15-44 Years: Data from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2002 and 2006-2010,” was published in the National Health Statistics Report (2012;46).
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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Thursday, January 26, 2012
28,000 Die of HIV/AIDS in China in 2011: Official Report
HIV/AIDS killed 28,000 people in China in 2011, and 48,000 residents were newly diagnosed with the virus. These figures are from a Saturday report produced jointly by China’s Ministry of Health, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organization. About 780,000 Chinese are living with HIV, including 154,000 who have advanced to AIDS, the report said. More than 136,000 patients have received treatment as of September 2011; this represents an increase of 11.5 percentage points from 2009, bringing treatment coverage to 73.5 percent. Key reasons for the higher number of people living with AIDS include government interventions that have prolonged the lives of patients. The report called for increasing access to testing and treatment, expanding health education coverage, and fighting discrimination.
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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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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PG-13 Players Depict Everyday Sexual Issues for Teen Peers
The PG-13 Players is a peer-based theater group that travels to Middle Tennessee schools, churches, and community centers to raise awareness about sexual health through skits written and performed by teens.
The group is sponsored by Planned Parenthood, which provides three weeks of training to the teens each summer. Participants are taught correct condom use and data for topics ranging from STDs and date rape to suicide and abuse. But the teens also are given the freedom to tailor their messages based on what they see in their high schools.
“We know what we would watch and what we would make fun of,” said Dre Pinson, a senior at the Nashville School of the Arts. “You just make it real. You take real issues that we see every day and act it out.” At the end of each performance, the teen actors stay in character during a question-and-answer session.
Pinson recently played a teen who had just begun a sexual relationship with his girlfriend of more than a year. After three weeks, the girlfriend began feeling bad and decided they should get tested for STDs at a free clinic. Pinson’s character was worried that getting tested would hurt.
Lyndsey Godwin, manager of education for Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, said the PG-13 Players are part of Metro Nashville Public Schools’ approved sex education curriculum, though each school’s administration determines whether to invite the group to perform.
Planned Parenthood and Metro Nashville health officials say the need for innovative educational efforts is great. The state has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation, while more than one-third of all chlamydia cases reported in Tennessee are in people ages 15-19.
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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The group is sponsored by Planned Parenthood, which provides three weeks of training to the teens each summer. Participants are taught correct condom use and data for topics ranging from STDs and date rape to suicide and abuse. But the teens also are given the freedom to tailor their messages based on what they see in their high schools.
“We know what we would watch and what we would make fun of,” said Dre Pinson, a senior at the Nashville School of the Arts. “You just make it real. You take real issues that we see every day and act it out.” At the end of each performance, the teen actors stay in character during a question-and-answer session.
Pinson recently played a teen who had just begun a sexual relationship with his girlfriend of more than a year. After three weeks, the girlfriend began feeling bad and decided they should get tested for STDs at a free clinic. Pinson’s character was worried that getting tested would hurt.
Lyndsey Godwin, manager of education for Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee, said the PG-13 Players are part of Metro Nashville Public Schools’ approved sex education curriculum, though each school’s administration determines whether to invite the group to perform.
Planned Parenthood and Metro Nashville health officials say the need for innovative educational efforts is great. The state has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the nation, while more than one-third of all chlamydia cases reported in Tennessee are in people ages 15-19.
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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Alarming Surge in AIDS Among Addicts in Pakistan
A Canada-funded surveillance project has found an alarming surge in HIV prevalence among injection drug users in Pakistan, the local newspaper Dawn reported Sunday. Overall prevalence was about 36.7 percent among IDUs, the paper said, citing the Canadian International Development Agency. However, in some cities of eastern Punjab province HIV prevalence among IDUs was 52.5 percent, while it was 42.5 percent in Sindh province.
The rise follows the April 2010 cancellation of a World Bank-financed syringe-exchange program by the provincial health secretary. The 1 billion rupee (US $11.1 million) program included operations in eight cities in Punjab. The Punjab government terminated the service after first demanding that the service provider disclose clients’ identities - in violation of the agreement’s confidentiality clause.
The syringe-exchange project served over 14,000 individuals and families in Punjab and another 6,000 in Sindh. No such program has operated there since its closure, despite reports the provincial government would provide an alternative service. There are an estimated 125,000 IDUs in the country.
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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The rise follows the April 2010 cancellation of a World Bank-financed syringe-exchange program by the provincial health secretary. The 1 billion rupee (US $11.1 million) program included operations in eight cities in Punjab. The Punjab government terminated the service after first demanding that the service provider disclose clients’ identities - in violation of the agreement’s confidentiality clause.
The syringe-exchange project served over 14,000 individuals and families in Punjab and another 6,000 in Sindh. No such program has operated there since its closure, despite reports the provincial government would provide an alternative service. There are an estimated 125,000 IDUs in the country.
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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Dorries Bill on Sex Abstinence Is Dropped
On Friday, a bill to require that schools offer extra abstinence-based sex education to girls ages 13-16 was withdrawn from the House of Commons.
The controversial bill was proposed by Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Nadine Dorries (Mid-Bedfordshire) as a way to counteract a society she said is “saturated in sex.” It was due to receive a second reading but was withdrawn before coming up for debate. The measure had little chance of becoming law without government support, and it is unlikely to be rescheduled.
Outside Parliament Friday, up to 100 feminists, humanists, and pro-choice activists demonstrated against the measure. Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said he hoped Dorries had “realized abstinence education is a dangerously unrealistic and irresponsible proposition for our young people.” The decision to withdraw the bill, which requires the permission of the MP who proposed it, was likely “guided by politics rather than a change of heart” on the behalf of Dorries, he suspected. “We will all certainly need to remain on guard against such foolish proposals in the future.”
Niki Molnar, chair of Conservative Women, said boys need to be included in instruction on sex and relationships to ensure they learn respect for women.
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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The controversial bill was proposed by Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Nadine Dorries (Mid-Bedfordshire) as a way to counteract a society she said is “saturated in sex.” It was due to receive a second reading but was withdrawn before coming up for debate. The measure had little chance of becoming law without government support, and it is unlikely to be rescheduled.
Outside Parliament Friday, up to 100 feminists, humanists, and pro-choice activists demonstrated against the measure. Andrew Copson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said he hoped Dorries had “realized abstinence education is a dangerously unrealistic and irresponsible proposition for our young people.” The decision to withdraw the bill, which requires the permission of the MP who proposed it, was likely “guided by politics rather than a change of heart” on the behalf of Dorries, he suspected. “We will all certainly need to remain on guard against such foolish proposals in the future.”
Niki Molnar, chair of Conservative Women, said boys need to be included in instruction on sex and relationships to ensure they learn respect for women.
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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CDC Expands Testing of Confiscated 'Bush Meat' for Viruses
A CDC project that screens wild “bush meat” confiscated at US airports for infectious diseases has found retroviruses and herpesviruses in nonhuman primate and rodent species.
Bush meat is considered an edible treat from home by some African residents of the United States, but the nation’s disease detectives worry about its potential to harbor exotic viruses that could cause a deadly outbreak. Infectious-disease experts are convinced that HIV and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) jumped to humans through the butchering, handling, and eating of infected meat.
The project launched as a pilot in 2008 at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and airports in Houston and Atlanta. Scientists netted heads, arms, and other pieces of two chimpanzees, seven monkeys, and 35 rodents, mostly giant cane rats - all of it illegally imported.
The program found three exotic viruses, though they do not appear dangerous to humans. Two are in the family of viruses that cause herpes in humans, while simian foamy virus, found in the monkeys and one of the chimps, is a retrovirus. There is no sign SFV makes people sick, said CDC’s Brian Switzer. However, the agency has been keeping close tabs on 130 people infected with SFV, mostly laboratory or zoo workers who handled monkeys, apes, or blood and tissue from the primates.
“We’re looking at whether these viruses are transmissible to close contacts, spouses, children, and so on,” Switzer said.
With $59,740 in additional funding, CDC is expanding bush meat testing efforts to 18 of CDC’s 20 quarantine stations, which are usually located at airports. However, funding is uncertain beyond this year, said Nina Marano, who heads the program.
The report, “Zoonotic Viruses Associated with Illegally Imported Wildlife Products,” was published in Public Library of Science ONE (2012;7(1):e29505).
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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Bush meat is considered an edible treat from home by some African residents of the United States, but the nation’s disease detectives worry about its potential to harbor exotic viruses that could cause a deadly outbreak. Infectious-disease experts are convinced that HIV and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) jumped to humans through the butchering, handling, and eating of infected meat.
The project launched as a pilot in 2008 at Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Va., John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and airports in Houston and Atlanta. Scientists netted heads, arms, and other pieces of two chimpanzees, seven monkeys, and 35 rodents, mostly giant cane rats - all of it illegally imported.
The program found three exotic viruses, though they do not appear dangerous to humans. Two are in the family of viruses that cause herpes in humans, while simian foamy virus, found in the monkeys and one of the chimps, is a retrovirus. There is no sign SFV makes people sick, said CDC’s Brian Switzer. However, the agency has been keeping close tabs on 130 people infected with SFV, mostly laboratory or zoo workers who handled monkeys, apes, or blood and tissue from the primates.
“We’re looking at whether these viruses are transmissible to close contacts, spouses, children, and so on,” Switzer said.
With $59,740 in additional funding, CDC is expanding bush meat testing efforts to 18 of CDC’s 20 quarantine stations, which are usually located at airports. However, funding is uncertain beyond this year, said Nina Marano, who heads the program.
The report, “Zoonotic Viruses Associated with Illegally Imported Wildlife Products,” was published in Public Library of Science ONE (2012;7(1):e29505).
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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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
US Confirms Contraception Without Co-Pay Rule
Under a federal rule announced Friday, most health insurance plans will be required by Aug. 1 to cover preventive services for women, including contraception, without a co-pay, co-insurance or deductible. Services include Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception methods and contraceptive counseling, annual check-ups, STD counseling, HIV screening and counseling, human papillomavirus testing for women age 30 and older, and testing for gestational diabetes.
An exemption on contraceptive coverage for directly religious institutions such as churches was maintained in the final rule announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Certain religious-affiliated nonprofit institutions - such as colleges and hospitals - were not exempted but were given an additional year, until Aug. 1, 2013, to comply.
“This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty. I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.”
The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized the decision, saying it forces some people to act against their beliefs. The Obama administration “ordered almost every employer and insurer in the country to provide sterilization and contraceptives, including some abortion-inducing drugs, in their health plans,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan. “Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience.”
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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An exemption on contraceptive coverage for directly religious institutions such as churches was maintained in the final rule announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Certain religious-affiliated nonprofit institutions - such as colleges and hospitals - were not exempted but were given an additional year, until Aug. 1, 2013, to comply.
“This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This decision was made after very careful consideration, including the important concerns some have raised about religious liberty. I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.”
The president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized the decision, saying it forces some people to act against their beliefs. The Obama administration “ordered almost every employer and insurer in the country to provide sterilization and contraceptives, including some abortion-inducing drugs, in their health plans,” said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan. “Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience.”
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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Saturday, January 21, 2012
New Hope for People with HIV/AIDS
Northern Ontario’s HIV/AIDS Extended Network (HAVEN) program marked its 20th anniversary Monday. HAVEN currently provides HIV-related services to 230 people in the region. Since its founding in 1992, the program has assisted some 800 clients.
Judy Latendre-Paquette, program coordinator, said the caseload “grows every year. We are seeing approximately 40 referrals a year. Some people are referred, but never show up for care, or come once or relocate,” she said after a press conference at the Ramsey Lake Health Center.
HAVEN operates as an outpatient clinic staffed by a coordinator, doctor, counselor, and three nurses. The program also can access a nutritionist and pharmacist. It is funded by a variety of community agencies and organizations, including ACCESS AIDS and the Sudbury and District Health Unit.
Medical advances have helped HAVEN better coordinate and provide care following diagnosis, said Latendre-Paquette. “We are able to test the patient now to see what drug will work best for them,” she said. “And with the Health Unit, they are now doing rapid HIV testing.” “It’s something out there for them and lets them know immediately if they are HIV-positive and can start doing assessment.”
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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Judy Latendre-Paquette, program coordinator, said the caseload “grows every year. We are seeing approximately 40 referrals a year. Some people are referred, but never show up for care, or come once or relocate,” she said after a press conference at the Ramsey Lake Health Center.
HAVEN operates as an outpatient clinic staffed by a coordinator, doctor, counselor, and three nurses. The program also can access a nutritionist and pharmacist. It is funded by a variety of community agencies and organizations, including ACCESS AIDS and the Sudbury and District Health Unit.
Medical advances have helped HAVEN better coordinate and provide care following diagnosis, said Latendre-Paquette. “We are able to test the patient now to see what drug will work best for them,” she said. “And with the Health Unit, they are now doing rapid HIV testing.” “It’s something out there for them and lets them know immediately if they are HIV-positive and can start doing assessment.”
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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UN Sees 'Massive' Fall in South Africa AIDS Cases
UNAIDS said Thursday it expects South Africa will see “massive reductions” in HIV/AIDS cases by 2020.
“[South Africa] now has more people with HIV infection than any country in the world, with 5.6 million. That is because of a lack of political commitment before,” said Shelia Tlou, UNAIDS regional director for east and southern Africa. “However, there is a turnaround in the new government under President Zuma,” which is committed to fighting the epidemic, she said at a press conference in Geneva.
Since assuming the presidency in 2009, Zuma has taken dramatic steps to reduce the toll of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. He has significantly expanded the country’s antiretroviral treatment program, and last month he unveiled a plan to halve the number of new HIV infections during the next five years. It is the first such plan since the 2008 ouster of President Thabo Mbeki and his health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who advocated vegetables rather than medicines to treat AIDS.
Tlou, a nursing professor and former minister of health in Botswana, said the region is known as the “center of the epidemic,” as nearly three-quarters of the 34 million people with HIV/AIDS worldwide live in east or southern Africa. “There has been quite a lot of progress since 1997, with a 25 percent reduction in new infections in our region,” she said. “One of our targets is to reduce new infections by 50 percent” by 2015, she added.
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“[South Africa] now has more people with HIV infection than any country in the world, with 5.6 million. That is because of a lack of political commitment before,” said Shelia Tlou, UNAIDS regional director for east and southern Africa. “However, there is a turnaround in the new government under President Zuma,” which is committed to fighting the epidemic, she said at a press conference in Geneva.
Since assuming the presidency in 2009, Zuma has taken dramatic steps to reduce the toll of HIV/AIDS in South Africa. He has significantly expanded the country’s antiretroviral treatment program, and last month he unveiled a plan to halve the number of new HIV infections during the next five years. It is the first such plan since the 2008 ouster of President Thabo Mbeki and his health minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, who advocated vegetables rather than medicines to treat AIDS.
Tlou, a nursing professor and former minister of health in Botswana, said the region is known as the “center of the epidemic,” as nearly three-quarters of the 34 million people with HIV/AIDS worldwide live in east or southern Africa. “There has been quite a lot of progress since 1997, with a 25 percent reduction in new infections in our region,” she said. “One of our targets is to reduce new infections by 50 percent” by 2015, she added.
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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CDC Warns Against Sharing Insulin Pens
CDC has issued a new clinical reminder that using insulin pens on more than one person puts patients at risk for blood-borne infections such as hepatitis and HIV. Pens containing multiple doses of insulin are meant for use on a single patient only, and they should never be used on more than one person. Infection can occur even when a pen’s needle is changed, CDC said.
The guidance applies in any setting where insulin pens are used, including health care facilities, assisted living or residential care centers, health fairs, shelters, detention centers, senior centers, schools, and camps, according to the agency. Insulin pens should be clearly labeled with the patient’s name or other identifying information to ensure the right pen is used only on the right patient.
If re-use of an insulin pen occurs, exposed patients should be immediately notified and offered blood-borne pathogen testing as part of appropriate follow-up. Hospitals and other facilities should review their policies with staff and provide education regarding safe use of insulin pens and similar devices.
In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration issued a similar alert to health care professionals following reports of improper insulin pen use in hospitals. Despite that warning, reports of patients being placed at risk due to inappropriate re-use and sharing of pens have continued. An incident last year required notification of more than 2,000 potentially exposed patients, CDC said.
For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/clinical-reminders/insulin-pens.html.
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The guidance applies in any setting where insulin pens are used, including health care facilities, assisted living or residential care centers, health fairs, shelters, detention centers, senior centers, schools, and camps, according to the agency. Insulin pens should be clearly labeled with the patient’s name or other identifying information to ensure the right pen is used only on the right patient.
If re-use of an insulin pen occurs, exposed patients should be immediately notified and offered blood-borne pathogen testing as part of appropriate follow-up. Hospitals and other facilities should review their policies with staff and provide education regarding safe use of insulin pens and similar devices.
In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration issued a similar alert to health care professionals following reports of improper insulin pen use in hospitals. Despite that warning, reports of patients being placed at risk due to inappropriate re-use and sharing of pens have continued. An incident last year required notification of more than 2,000 potentially exposed patients, CDC said.
For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/injectionsafety/clinical-reminders/insulin-pens.html.
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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Thursday, January 19, 2012
Volunteers Needed for HIV Vaccine Trial
The University of Texas Southwestern continues to recruit local volunteers for Phase II of an HIV vaccine trial underway at nearly two dozen sites across the nation.
Researchers are seeking healthy men ages 18 to 50 who are circumcised, HIV-negative, and have sex with other men. Transgender women who have sex with men are also needed.
Participation requires a 12- to 18-month commitment, said Ernesto Gallegos, a member of the Clinical Research Unit Community Advisory Board. The vaccine cannot cause HIV, and Phase I testing established it can be given safely to humans. Half the participants receive the vaccine, while the others receive a placebo.
Volunteers are asked to keep a written record of any reaction to the four shots, and they are required to return to UT Southwestern once every three months for an interview, risk-reduction counseling, and an HIV test.
For more information, telephone 214-590-0610 or visit http://www.HopeTakesAction.org.
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Researchers are seeking healthy men ages 18 to 50 who are circumcised, HIV-negative, and have sex with other men. Transgender women who have sex with men are also needed.
Participation requires a 12- to 18-month commitment, said Ernesto Gallegos, a member of the Clinical Research Unit Community Advisory Board. The vaccine cannot cause HIV, and Phase I testing established it can be given safely to humans. Half the participants receive the vaccine, while the others receive a placebo.
Volunteers are asked to keep a written record of any reaction to the four shots, and they are required to return to UT Southwestern once every three months for an interview, risk-reduction counseling, and an HIV test.
For more information, telephone 214-590-0610 or visit http://www.HopeTakesAction.org.
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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GOP-Backed Bill on Sex Education Headed for Assembly Vote
In a party line vote Wednesday, the Assembly’s education committee passed a Republican-backed bill that would require school sex education programs to stress abstinence over contraception.
The measure rewrites a Democratic-backed law enacted two years ago that requires Wisconsin schools to offer a multifaceted curriculum that includes instruction about contraception. Anti-abortion groups favor the new legislation, which the Senate passed last year despite opposition from several public health groups.
Republicans control the Assembly, which could vote on the bill as early as next week.
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The measure rewrites a Democratic-backed law enacted two years ago that requires Wisconsin schools to offer a multifaceted curriculum that includes instruction about contraception. Anti-abortion groups favor the new legislation, which the Senate passed last year despite opposition from several public health groups.
Republicans control the Assembly, which could vote on the bill as early as next week.
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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Los Angeles Council Requires Condoms in Porn Films
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted 9-1 to approve a measure requiring actors in adult films produced in the city to wear condoms. The legislation next goes to the mayor for his signature. Before the ordinance takes effect, the council ordered police officials, city attorneys, and others to hold meetings about its enforcement.
Several adult-film representatives criticized the ordinance as politically correct and unenforceable. Many consumers refuse to buy films in which condoms are used, they said.
“The only thing that the city could potentially achieve is losing some film permit money and driving some productions away, but you can’t actually compel an industry to create a product that the market doesn’t want,” said Christian Mann, general manager for Evil Angel Productions.
The industry years ago voluntarily adopted STD testing of actors every 30 days, a policy that is working well, according to former adult-film actress Tabitha Stevens and others. AIDS advocates, however, say STD testing is insufficient, and requiring condoms adds another level of safety.
“We are not opposed to testing, but testing is not prevention in the same way that a barrier protection is,” said Ged Kenslea, spokesperson for the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which for years has campaigned to enact a condom requirement. Kenslea also claimed the adult-film industry does not report all STD diagnoses.
With 90 percent of the industry based in the city’s San Fernando Valley, Kenslea dismissed claims that the measure would drive productions to other locations.
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Several adult-film representatives criticized the ordinance as politically correct and unenforceable. Many consumers refuse to buy films in which condoms are used, they said.
“The only thing that the city could potentially achieve is losing some film permit money and driving some productions away, but you can’t actually compel an industry to create a product that the market doesn’t want,” said Christian Mann, general manager for Evil Angel Productions.
The industry years ago voluntarily adopted STD testing of actors every 30 days, a policy that is working well, according to former adult-film actress Tabitha Stevens and others. AIDS advocates, however, say STD testing is insufficient, and requiring condoms adds another level of safety.
“We are not opposed to testing, but testing is not prevention in the same way that a barrier protection is,” said Ged Kenslea, spokesperson for the Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which for years has campaigned to enact a condom requirement. Kenslea also claimed the adult-film industry does not report all STD diagnoses.
With 90 percent of the industry based in the city’s San Fernando Valley, Kenslea dismissed claims that the measure would drive productions to other locations.
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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Lung Cancer in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study: Role of Smoking, Immunodeficiency and Pulmonary Infection
“Immunodeficiency and AIDS-related pulmonary infections have been suggested as independent causes of lung cancer among HIV-infected persons, in addition to smoking,” the authors wrote.
The researchers identified 68 lung cancer cases in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) or through linkage with the Swiss Cancer Registries (1985-2010); these then were individually matched to 337 controls by center, gender, HIV transmission category, age, and calendar period. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR).
The results showed that 96.2 percent of lung cancer patients and 72.9 percent of controls were ever smokers, “confirming the high prevalence of smoking and its strong association with lung cancer” (OR for current vs. never=14.4, 95 percent confidence interval: 3.36-62.1).
The researchers found no significant associations between CD4+ cell count and lung cancer, “neither when measured within 1 year (OR for <200 vs. =500=1.21, 95 percent CI: 0.49-2.96) nor further back in time, before lung cancer diagnosis.”
“Combined antiretroviral therapy was not significantly associated with lung cancer (OR for ever vs. never=0.67, 95 percent CI: 0.29-1.52), nor was a history of AIDS with (OR=0.49, 95 percent CI: 0.19-1.28) or without (OR=0.53, 95 percent CI: 0.24-1.18) pulmonary involvement,” the authors wrote.
“Lung cancer in the SHCS does not seem to be clearly associated with immunodeficiency or AIDS-related pulmonary disease, but seems to be attributable to heavy smoking,” the researchers concluded.
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The researchers identified 68 lung cancer cases in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) or through linkage with the Swiss Cancer Registries (1985-2010); these then were individually matched to 337 controls by center, gender, HIV transmission category, age, and calendar period. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR).
The results showed that 96.2 percent of lung cancer patients and 72.9 percent of controls were ever smokers, “confirming the high prevalence of smoking and its strong association with lung cancer” (OR for current vs. never=14.4, 95 percent confidence interval: 3.36-62.1).
The researchers found no significant associations between CD4+ cell count and lung cancer, “neither when measured within 1 year (OR for <200 vs. =500=1.21, 95 percent CI: 0.49-2.96) nor further back in time, before lung cancer diagnosis.”
“Combined antiretroviral therapy was not significantly associated with lung cancer (OR for ever vs. never=0.67, 95 percent CI: 0.29-1.52), nor was a history of AIDS with (OR=0.49, 95 percent CI: 0.19-1.28) or without (OR=0.53, 95 percent CI: 0.24-1.18) pulmonary involvement,” the authors wrote.
“Lung cancer in the SHCS does not seem to be clearly associated with immunodeficiency or AIDS-related pulmonary disease, but seems to be attributable to heavy smoking,” the researchers concluded.
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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Police Oppose Safe Injection Sites
In interviews and focus groups, police in Toronto and Ottawa voiced strong opposition to supervised drug consumption sites (SCSs), according to a new study. The first analysis of regional law enforcement perceptions of SCSs found police do not believe the intervention is a way to reduce harm from illegal drug use. Those interviewed, 18 officers of various ranks, also said SCSs do not address addiction.
In the study, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair expressed concern over “the ambiguous messaging that comes out from a society that says you can’t use these drugs, they’re against the law, but if you do, we’ll provide a place to do it in.” “It’s a little problematic when you’re trying to explain to young people about the consequences of illegal drug use,” he said. “And we are interested in trying to discourage them from that.”
The police officers generally distrusted previous studies showing public health benefits of SCSs, where drug users inject under medical supervision as a means to prevent overdoses and infections, including HIV and hepatitis. Research has shown that SCSs have been associated with a drop in fatal overdoses and public drug use, and with health care savings, among other findings. The officers polled, however, put greater stock in colleagues’ anecdotes and their own police work with drug-related activities.
A report on whether Toronto and Ottawa could benefit from SCSs is expected this year. Such an intervention in Toronto “likely represents good value for money,” initial data indicate.
While small, the new study represents a good starting point for addressing police concerns, said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health & Human Rights.
The analysis, “Police Perceptions of Supervised Consumption Sites (SCSs): A Qualitative Study,” was funded by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network and published in Substance Use & Abuse (2012;47(4):364-374).
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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In the study, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair expressed concern over “the ambiguous messaging that comes out from a society that says you can’t use these drugs, they’re against the law, but if you do, we’ll provide a place to do it in.” “It’s a little problematic when you’re trying to explain to young people about the consequences of illegal drug use,” he said. “And we are interested in trying to discourage them from that.”
The police officers generally distrusted previous studies showing public health benefits of SCSs, where drug users inject under medical supervision as a means to prevent overdoses and infections, including HIV and hepatitis. Research has shown that SCSs have been associated with a drop in fatal overdoses and public drug use, and with health care savings, among other findings. The officers polled, however, put greater stock in colleagues’ anecdotes and their own police work with drug-related activities.
A report on whether Toronto and Ottawa could benefit from SCSs is expected this year. Such an intervention in Toronto “likely represents good value for money,” initial data indicate.
While small, the new study represents a good starting point for addressing police concerns, said Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health & Human Rights.
The analysis, “Police Perceptions of Supervised Consumption Sites (SCSs): A Qualitative Study,” was funded by the Ontario HIV Treatment Network and published in Substance Use & Abuse (2012;47(4):364-374).
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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Fenway Health Urges Doctors to Talk with Patients About Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity
The LGBT community in the United States experiences significant health disparities, including many linked to social stigmas. As a group, LGBT people are more likely to experience violence; they have higher rates of psychiatric disorders and substance abuse; and gay men are at higher risk of some STDs.
The research institute of Boston-based Fenway Health, a longtime provider of specialized LGBT care, recently published two policy briefs to help providers address LGBT patients’ needs. The first details why information about patients’ sexual and gender identity should be gathered in clinical settings; the second offers guidance on how to collect the data.
“In order to understand and address LGBT health disparities, we as health care providers need to better understand who our LGBT patients are,” said Dr. Stephen Boswell, president of Fenway Health.
“If LGBT patients are told why it is important to gather such information, and that such information will be kept private and confidential, most will be forthcoming,” states the first brief. The second offers pointers, such as having patients complete a registration form that asks, “Do you think of yourself as,” with boxes to check indicating homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, something else, or uncertain. Another suggestion is asking patients the open-ended question “Do you have a partner?” rather than “Are you married?”
To access the briefs, visit: http://www.fenwayhealth.org/whygather and www.fenwayhealth.org/howgather.
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The research institute of Boston-based Fenway Health, a longtime provider of specialized LGBT care, recently published two policy briefs to help providers address LGBT patients’ needs. The first details why information about patients’ sexual and gender identity should be gathered in clinical settings; the second offers guidance on how to collect the data.
“In order to understand and address LGBT health disparities, we as health care providers need to better understand who our LGBT patients are,” said Dr. Stephen Boswell, president of Fenway Health.
“If LGBT patients are told why it is important to gather such information, and that such information will be kept private and confidential, most will be forthcoming,” states the first brief. The second offers pointers, such as having patients complete a registration form that asks, “Do you think of yourself as,” with boxes to check indicating homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, something else, or uncertain. Another suggestion is asking patients the open-ended question “Do you have a partner?” rather than “Are you married?”
To access the briefs, visit: http://www.fenwayhealth.org/whygather and www.fenwayhealth.org/howgather.
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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Southerners Have Higher Risk of HIV/AIDS
A new report by the Southern HIV/AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI) highlights the disproportionate impact the epidemic is having on the South.
Using CDC data, mostly from 2009, Duke University researchers found states in the Deep South - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and eastern Texas - had the highest rates of new HIV infections compared to other US regions. The Deep South sees 35 percent of all new US infections, though it makes up just 22 percent of the country’s population.
Furthermore, Deep South states lead the nation in new AIDS diagnoses. Eight of the 10 states with the highest death rates from HIV are in the region. “Delayed entry into medical care may be particularly problematic in the South due to barriers such as shortages of health care professionals and high levels of uninsured individuals,” said the report.
Possible reasons for the South’s high numbers include race - blacks are disproportionately affected by the epidemic - lack of sex education, higher incarceration rates, higher rates of other STDs, and worse health indicators overall. Stigma and ignorance about the disease also contribute, said Kathie Hiers, CEO of AIDS Alabama and a SASI steering committee member.
Michael Saag, director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, said the main reasons are poverty and lack of access to medical care.
Despite the disease’s impact on the South, the region has a lower rate of funding for HIV/AIDS programs than the rest of the country, the report said. “You combine those two things, as well as the poverty rates and the lack of education you sometimes get down here, and it’s just a disaster,” said Hiers.
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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Using CDC data, mostly from 2009, Duke University researchers found states in the Deep South - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and eastern Texas - had the highest rates of new HIV infections compared to other US regions. The Deep South sees 35 percent of all new US infections, though it makes up just 22 percent of the country’s population.
Furthermore, Deep South states lead the nation in new AIDS diagnoses. Eight of the 10 states with the highest death rates from HIV are in the region. “Delayed entry into medical care may be particularly problematic in the South due to barriers such as shortages of health care professionals and high levels of uninsured individuals,” said the report.
Possible reasons for the South’s high numbers include race - blacks are disproportionately affected by the epidemic - lack of sex education, higher incarceration rates, higher rates of other STDs, and worse health indicators overall. Stigma and ignorance about the disease also contribute, said Kathie Hiers, CEO of AIDS Alabama and a SASI steering committee member.
Michael Saag, director of the Center for AIDS Research at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, said the main reasons are poverty and lack of access to medical care.
Despite the disease’s impact on the South, the region has a lower rate of funding for HIV/AIDS programs than the rest of the country, the report said. “You combine those two things, as well as the poverty rates and the lack of education you sometimes get down here, and it’s just a disaster,” said Hiers.
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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Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Ukraine Urged to Step Up AIDS Fight
The chief of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria on Monday called for Ukraine to accelerate its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. “This is the region of the world, the only region of the world, where the AIDS epidemic is still growing,” Michel Kazatchkine told reporters in Kiev. He urged authorities to increase funding for AIDS programs, expand opiate substitution therapy, and ensure HIV/AIDS treatment in correctional settings.
As part of a five-year, $305 million grant, the Global Fund is set to disburse $86 million in Ukraine in 2012-13; however, the fate of that grant was uncertain last year due to the government’s failure to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of HIV drugs.
Such treatment delays will not happen again, said Tetyana Aleksandrina, a government official involved with HIV/AIDS prevention.
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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As part of a five-year, $305 million grant, the Global Fund is set to disburse $86 million in Ukraine in 2012-13; however, the fate of that grant was uncertain last year due to the government’s failure to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of HIV drugs.
Such treatment delays will not happen again, said Tetyana Aleksandrina, a government official involved with HIV/AIDS prevention.
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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Poland's Condom Market Shrinks for First Time: Data
In the first such drop on record, condom and contraceptive sales in Poland fell by 10 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively, during one year as of October 2011, new data show. Additional analyses of the figures compiled by Nielsen and IMS Health are expected to show the cause of the decline, but some experts already are weighing in.
“Youngsters choose condoms more often, and there are fewer and fewer of these youngsters, so [condom] producers are feeling it,” said Professor Zbigniew Izdebski. He added that the government has not launched any high-profile HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns in recent years, and this could contribute to falling condom sales.
“Poles are choosing other forms of sex more and more often, and perhaps this is the reason behind the decline of its traditional form,” said fellow sexologist Professor Zbigniew Lew-Starowicz. Professor Aleksandra Jodlko, however, blamed declining sales on depression and stress linked to the tough economy. Although Poland is a devoutly Roman Catholic nation, the sexologists did not cite the church’s prohibition on contraception as being a factor.
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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“Youngsters choose condoms more often, and there are fewer and fewer of these youngsters, so [condom] producers are feeling it,” said Professor Zbigniew Izdebski. He added that the government has not launched any high-profile HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns in recent years, and this could contribute to falling condom sales.
“Poles are choosing other forms of sex more and more often, and perhaps this is the reason behind the decline of its traditional form,” said fellow sexologist Professor Zbigniew Lew-Starowicz. Professor Aleksandra Jodlko, however, blamed declining sales on depression and stress linked to the tough economy. Although Poland is a devoutly Roman Catholic nation, the sexologists did not cite the church’s prohibition on contraception as being a factor.
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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Targeting School and Home Helps Cut Risky Behaviors
Interventions that successfully prevent drug use and risky sexual behavior among youths target multiple areas of their lives and often span years, a recent study found.
“To have multiple effects, you can’t just have one hour a day for a few weeks and that’s it. It’s just like learning math or reading - you have to keep going over multiple years,” said Brian Flay, of Oregon State University-Corvallis, whose study was among those analyzed in the systematic review. Programs should involve “not just the school, but also getting the parents involved and targeting them,” he said. “And even with the school, targeting the whole school climate and not just the curriculum.”
Of the 13 studies, three showed positive effects on at least one measure of drug use and one of risky sexual behavior. These were a Chicago-based social development curriculum with parent support; a Baltimore HIV reduction program involving small groups and parent monitoring; and a Seattle elementary school program teaching school and family bonding skills.
All three interventions targeted African-American, low-income or high-crime communities, and their participants rated better than a comparison group on drug use, heavy drinking, smoking, condom use, and pregnancy. The researchers wrote that programs targeting multiple domains (individual and peer, family, school, and community) of risk and protective factors for risk behavior were generally more effective than those targeting just one domain.
Starting school and community interventions even earlier, in the preteen years, may be most effective in preventing these risks before they start, suggested study leader Caroline Jackson, of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy in Edinburgh, and colleagues. However, “further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach,” they concluded.
The full study, “Interventions to Prevent Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior in Young People: A Systematic Review,” was published in Addiction (2011;doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03751.x).
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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“To have multiple effects, you can’t just have one hour a day for a few weeks and that’s it. It’s just like learning math or reading - you have to keep going over multiple years,” said Brian Flay, of Oregon State University-Corvallis, whose study was among those analyzed in the systematic review. Programs should involve “not just the school, but also getting the parents involved and targeting them,” he said. “And even with the school, targeting the whole school climate and not just the curriculum.”
Of the 13 studies, three showed positive effects on at least one measure of drug use and one of risky sexual behavior. These were a Chicago-based social development curriculum with parent support; a Baltimore HIV reduction program involving small groups and parent monitoring; and a Seattle elementary school program teaching school and family bonding skills.
All three interventions targeted African-American, low-income or high-crime communities, and their participants rated better than a comparison group on drug use, heavy drinking, smoking, condom use, and pregnancy. The researchers wrote that programs targeting multiple domains (individual and peer, family, school, and community) of risk and protective factors for risk behavior were generally more effective than those targeting just one domain.
Starting school and community interventions even earlier, in the preteen years, may be most effective in preventing these risks before they start, suggested study leader Caroline Jackson, of the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy in Edinburgh, and colleagues. However, “further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach,” they concluded.
The full study, “Interventions to Prevent Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior in Young People: A Systematic Review,” was published in Addiction (2011;doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03751.x).
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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Grannies Helping Grannies
Canadian women are helping the grandmothers of AIDS orphans in sub-Saharan Africa by getting involved in the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers for Grandmothers campaign. Chapters across Canada help raise awareness about African grandmothers and the children in their care affected by AIDS, and they provide funds for assistance such as HIV testing and nutrition.
“You hear their stories and you realize we all have the same needs,” said Rosemary Carter, an Ottawa chapter member. “But here in Canada, if we need medicine or food, we can get it. Not for these grandmothers.”
“We are women who have retired, who have expertise and energy,” said Carter. “And as grandmothers, we know what it can be like.”
An estimated 14.8 million children under age 18 are orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these at-risk children are taken in by their grandmothers, who often cannot handle the financial burdens of additional food, basic care, and school fees.
“We have the same expectations for our grandchildren: an independent career, health, happiness,” Carter said. “It doesn’t occur to me ‘Will my grandchild have food tomorrow? Will she get an education? Will she be safe?”
The 240 chapters of Grandmothers for Grandmothers in Canada have helped raise $12 million (US $11.8 million) for the campaign.
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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“You hear their stories and you realize we all have the same needs,” said Rosemary Carter, an Ottawa chapter member. “But here in Canada, if we need medicine or food, we can get it. Not for these grandmothers.”
“We are women who have retired, who have expertise and energy,” said Carter. “And as grandmothers, we know what it can be like.”
An estimated 14.8 million children under age 18 are orphaned by AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these at-risk children are taken in by their grandmothers, who often cannot handle the financial burdens of additional food, basic care, and school fees.
“We have the same expectations for our grandchildren: an independent career, health, happiness,” Carter said. “It doesn’t occur to me ‘Will my grandchild have food tomorrow? Will she get an education? Will she be safe?”
The 240 chapters of Grandmothers for Grandmothers in Canada have helped raise $12 million (US $11.8 million) for the campaign.
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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Jobs for Preventing HIV Get Cut Throughout Georgia
The Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH) is cutting 26 HIV prevention positions statewide after losing federal funding for their salaries.
A revised CDC strategy introduced last year targets HIV prevention resources toward areas where needs and the potential impact of the dollars are the greatest. Atlanta-based Fulton County Health and Wellness received a direct $4.5 million grant for use in Fulton and DeKalb counties, while the state received $3.7 million less, said Connie Smith, a GDPH health communications specialist.
“The reduction in funding will have a substantial impact on the state’s HIV prevention work, and the department is currently working to mitigate the situation,” Smith wrote in an e-mail, adding that existing staff will take over some duties.
Of the 26 positions, 20 are in regional health districts serving about half of the state’s residents living with HIV/AIDS, Smith said. The Macon-based, 13-county North Central Health District (NCHD) is set to lose two positions by month’s end, though the state is working to transfer the employees, said Ronnie Boone, infectious-diseases supervisor for NCHD. One employee is a clerical worker who also serves as the district HIV/AIDS treatment clinic’s Spanish-language translator. He will be moved to another job in public health but will no longer be able to translate for the clinic, said Dr. David Harvey, NCHD’s director.
The second employee, who is set to retire in April, worked on partner notification, HIV field testing, and testing supervision. The cuts will not result in HIV-positive people going unserved, said Harvey, but, “It will just take us longer to get there.”
The state expects to preserve some of the district jobs beyond Jan. 15, Smith said.
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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A revised CDC strategy introduced last year targets HIV prevention resources toward areas where needs and the potential impact of the dollars are the greatest. Atlanta-based Fulton County Health and Wellness received a direct $4.5 million grant for use in Fulton and DeKalb counties, while the state received $3.7 million less, said Connie Smith, a GDPH health communications specialist.
“The reduction in funding will have a substantial impact on the state’s HIV prevention work, and the department is currently working to mitigate the situation,” Smith wrote in an e-mail, adding that existing staff will take over some duties.
Of the 26 positions, 20 are in regional health districts serving about half of the state’s residents living with HIV/AIDS, Smith said. The Macon-based, 13-county North Central Health District (NCHD) is set to lose two positions by month’s end, though the state is working to transfer the employees, said Ronnie Boone, infectious-diseases supervisor for NCHD. One employee is a clerical worker who also serves as the district HIV/AIDS treatment clinic’s Spanish-language translator. He will be moved to another job in public health but will no longer be able to translate for the clinic, said Dr. David Harvey, NCHD’s director.
The second employee, who is set to retire in April, worked on partner notification, HIV field testing, and testing supervision. The cuts will not result in HIV-positive people going unserved, said Harvey, but, “It will just take us longer to get there.”
The state expects to preserve some of the district jobs beyond Jan. 15, Smith said.
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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Friday, January 13, 2012
San Francisco Mayor, Supervisors Seek AIDS Funds
San Francisco officials are hoping to use city funds to backfill federal cuts to local Ryan White care and treatment services. And at the state level, advocates are concerned about changes Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing for California’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
San Francisco was awarded $25 million for HIV care and treatment services covering the period of March 2012-February 2013, but $5 million was cut by Congress in its most recent budget bill. If approved, the $1.8 million in city supplemental funds would replace the reduced funds only through the fiscal year ending June 30.
Mayor Ed Lee called the Ryan White shortfall “a very serious challenge,” and he lauded US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) support for the program in Congress over the years. “It’s our turn to step up when Congress has not been able to meet that task,” he said.
The resolution will not be voted on for about a month, said Supervisor Scott Wiener, whose district includes the heavily gay Castro neighborhood. Others supporting the resolution at a press conference included Supervisor David Campos and newly appointed Supervisor Christina Olague. Weiner, who is a member of the board’s budget committee, said backfilling the cut “is going to be my top priority.”
In the proposed 2012-13 state budget released on Jan. 5, Gov. Brown suggests saving $14.5 million by increasing ADAP clients’ cost-sharing “to the maximum percentage allowable under state law.” The summary predicts some savings from people leaving the program “because their cost-sharing obligation will exceed their private insurance out-of-pocket costs.” Average monthly co-pays could range from $28 to $358, depending on income. Final budget approval is months away.
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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San Francisco was awarded $25 million for HIV care and treatment services covering the period of March 2012-February 2013, but $5 million was cut by Congress in its most recent budget bill. If approved, the $1.8 million in city supplemental funds would replace the reduced funds only through the fiscal year ending June 30.
Mayor Ed Lee called the Ryan White shortfall “a very serious challenge,” and he lauded US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) support for the program in Congress over the years. “It’s our turn to step up when Congress has not been able to meet that task,” he said.
The resolution will not be voted on for about a month, said Supervisor Scott Wiener, whose district includes the heavily gay Castro neighborhood. Others supporting the resolution at a press conference included Supervisor David Campos and newly appointed Supervisor Christina Olague. Weiner, who is a member of the board’s budget committee, said backfilling the cut “is going to be my top priority.”
In the proposed 2012-13 state budget released on Jan. 5, Gov. Brown suggests saving $14.5 million by increasing ADAP clients’ cost-sharing “to the maximum percentage allowable under state law.” The summary predicts some savings from people leaving the program “because their cost-sharing obligation will exceed their private insurance out-of-pocket costs.” Average monthly co-pays could range from $28 to $358, depending on income. Final budget approval is months away.
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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Treatment for Prevention of HIV Transmission in a Localized Epidemic: The Case for South Australia
Noting the ongoing discussion about increasing HIV testing and initiating earlier antiretroviral therapy as a strategy to prevent the spread of the virus, the authors explored the expected epidemiological impact of this approach in a small population where HIV transmission is predominantly confined to men who have sex with men (MSM).
To investigate the impact of strategies that increase rates of testing and treatment, and their likelihood of mitigating HIV epidemics among MSM, a deterministic mathematical transmission model was constructed. “Our novel model distinguishes men in the population who are more easily accessible to prevention campaigns through engagement with the gay community from men who are not,” the authors wrote. “This model is applied to the population of MSM in South Australia.”
Findings based on the model suggest that increasing testing rates alone will have minimal impact on reducing the expected number of HIV infections, compared to current conditions. “However, in combination with increases in treatment coverage, this strategy could lead to a 59 percent-68 percent reduction in the number of HIV infections over the next five years,” the authors wrote. The majority of potential reductions in incidence would result from targeting men who are socially engaged in the gay community, “with only minor improvements possible by reaching all other MSM.”
“Investing in strategies that will achieve higher coverage and earlier initiation of treatment to reduce infectiousness of HIV-infected individuals could be an effective strategy for reducing incidence in a population of MSM,” the researchers concluded.
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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To investigate the impact of strategies that increase rates of testing and treatment, and their likelihood of mitigating HIV epidemics among MSM, a deterministic mathematical transmission model was constructed. “Our novel model distinguishes men in the population who are more easily accessible to prevention campaigns through engagement with the gay community from men who are not,” the authors wrote. “This model is applied to the population of MSM in South Australia.”
Findings based on the model suggest that increasing testing rates alone will have minimal impact on reducing the expected number of HIV infections, compared to current conditions. “However, in combination with increases in treatment coverage, this strategy could lead to a 59 percent-68 percent reduction in the number of HIV infections over the next five years,” the authors wrote. The majority of potential reductions in incidence would result from targeting men who are socially engaged in the gay community, “with only minor improvements possible by reaching all other MSM.”
“Investing in strategies that will achieve higher coverage and earlier initiation of treatment to reduce infectiousness of HIV-infected individuals could be an effective strategy for reducing incidence in a population of MSM,” the researchers concluded.
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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Balkan Countries Join Forces to Fight HIV/AIDS Stigma
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Balkans region are uniting to combat the stubborn stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS there. They are starting by hosting a special conference in April that focuses on the needs of people living with HIV.
Official case counts in the region are low: For example, just 65 people in Bosnia are registered as HIV-positive, and 103 in Montenegro. However, experts believe the true number of cases could be at least 10 times higher. Montenegro, with just 660,000 inhabitants, saw a 33 percent rise in persons living with HIV from 2005 to 2009, data show. NGOs say HIV/AIDS prevalence among young people is increasing rapidly.
While most countries of the former Yugoslavia provide free antiretroviral treatment, people with HIV/AIDS report discrimination and isolation. “They are often excluded from a society, lose their job, they are deprived of their basic human rights and education,” said Tatjana Preradovic-Sjenica, a psychologist with Viktorija, a Bosnian Serb NGO in Banja Luka.
In this region where traditional values are deeply rooted, people with HIV often are shunned by their own relatives. “We do not have any place to house people rejected by their families. They live in hospitals until they die,” said Boris Kovacic of USOP, an umbrella group of Serbian HIV/AIDS organizations.
Discrimination and stigma prevent many people from getting tested for HIV, especially in Bosnia and Montenegro. “Fear of being identified or what the results of the test could be leads many people to conclude it’s better not to know,” said Preradovic-Sjenica. “We try to motivate people to take a test.”
Tomislav Beganovic of Croatia’s Association for HIV and Hepatitis Patients, noted “discrimination ... is born of ignorance, so we need to raise awareness.”
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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Official case counts in the region are low: For example, just 65 people in Bosnia are registered as HIV-positive, and 103 in Montenegro. However, experts believe the true number of cases could be at least 10 times higher. Montenegro, with just 660,000 inhabitants, saw a 33 percent rise in persons living with HIV from 2005 to 2009, data show. NGOs say HIV/AIDS prevalence among young people is increasing rapidly.
While most countries of the former Yugoslavia provide free antiretroviral treatment, people with HIV/AIDS report discrimination and isolation. “They are often excluded from a society, lose their job, they are deprived of their basic human rights and education,” said Tatjana Preradovic-Sjenica, a psychologist with Viktorija, a Bosnian Serb NGO in Banja Luka.
In this region where traditional values are deeply rooted, people with HIV often are shunned by their own relatives. “We do not have any place to house people rejected by their families. They live in hospitals until they die,” said Boris Kovacic of USOP, an umbrella group of Serbian HIV/AIDS organizations.
Discrimination and stigma prevent many people from getting tested for HIV, especially in Bosnia and Montenegro. “Fear of being identified or what the results of the test could be leads many people to conclude it’s better not to know,” said Preradovic-Sjenica. “We try to motivate people to take a test.”
Tomislav Beganovic of Croatia’s Association for HIV and Hepatitis Patients, noted “discrimination ... is born of ignorance, so we need to raise awareness.”
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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Number of People Living with HIV Increasing in Texas
An estimated 68,000 Texans are living with HIV, up from 63,000 in 2009 and 60,000 in 2008, state health department data show. Statewide, about one-third of those diagnosed with HIV between 2003 and 2009 were diagnosed late in the course of the infection, receiving an AIDS diagnosis within a year of testing HIV-positive, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
The Victoria City-County Health Department saw its caseload increase in 2010 as well, with data showing 106 HIV patients treated by the agency, compared to 100 in 2009 and 94 in 2008. The majority of HIV patients treated by the department in 2010 were male Hispanics ages 45 to 64.
Recently, TDSHS employees conducted screening at an event at Victoria College. More than 40 people who attended were tested for chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV. In addition to discussing STD risk factors with participants, Larry Botello, a disease-intervention specialist with TDSHS, spoke about prevention and contraception. “It’s like a carpenter with his tools,” said Botello. “You can have a lot of tools, but if you don’t know how to use them, it’s not going to help any.”
The screening was sponsored by the Victoria chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender group and Haven, the college’s gay-straight alliance. “The gay community at large needs to understand they are at high risk,” said Fernando Garcia, chapter vice president.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
The Victoria City-County Health Department saw its caseload increase in 2010 as well, with data showing 106 HIV patients treated by the agency, compared to 100 in 2009 and 94 in 2008. The majority of HIV patients treated by the department in 2010 were male Hispanics ages 45 to 64.
Recently, TDSHS employees conducted screening at an event at Victoria College. More than 40 people who attended were tested for chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV. In addition to discussing STD risk factors with participants, Larry Botello, a disease-intervention specialist with TDSHS, spoke about prevention and contraception. “It’s like a carpenter with his tools,” said Botello. “You can have a lot of tools, but if you don’t know how to use them, it’s not going to help any.”
The screening was sponsored by the Victoria chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender group and Haven, the college’s gay-straight alliance. “The gay community at large needs to understand they are at high risk,” said Fernando Garcia, chapter vice president.
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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America's Drinking Binge
One in six Americans binge drink about four times a month, a new CDC report shows. CDC defines binge drinking as consuming four or more drinks per occasion for women, and five or more drinks per occasion for men. The one-in-six consumed an average of eight drinks per binge, said the report based on a 2010 survey of 457,677 Americans.
A large body of evidence shows binge drinking is associated with health risks such as STDs, injuries, violence, and car accidents, said report co-author Dr. Robert Brewer, head of CDC’s alcohol program.
Younger people tend to consume more in a sitting, while the fewer older adults who binge did so more frequently. Of adults ages 18-24, 28 percent reported binge drinking, averaging four days per month. The young averaged 9.3 drinks per binge. About 13 percent of people ages 45-64 reported binging about five times a month, with about seven drinks in a sitting. Of people age 65 and older, about 4 percent report regular binge drinking, averaging 5.5 times a month.
Of men, 23.2 percent reported a binge of about nine drinks in the past month, compared with 11.4 percent of women who averaged 5.9 drinks per binge. Binge drinking prevalence rose with household income: Binges were reported by about 20 percent of people earning $75,000+ annually. However, people earning less binged more frequently and consumed more per sitting. Binge drinking accounts for more than half of US alcohol consumed by adults, and 90 percent consumed by youths.
“It’s not just the usual suspects who are binge drinking,” Brewer said. “This is not just a problem of high school kids and college students. It’s a problem across the lifespan.”
The report, “Vital Signs: Binge Drinking Prevalence, Frequency, and Intensity Among Adults - United States, 2010,” was published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2012;61(01):14-19).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
A large body of evidence shows binge drinking is associated with health risks such as STDs, injuries, violence, and car accidents, said report co-author Dr. Robert Brewer, head of CDC’s alcohol program.
Younger people tend to consume more in a sitting, while the fewer older adults who binge did so more frequently. Of adults ages 18-24, 28 percent reported binge drinking, averaging four days per month. The young averaged 9.3 drinks per binge. About 13 percent of people ages 45-64 reported binging about five times a month, with about seven drinks in a sitting. Of people age 65 and older, about 4 percent report regular binge drinking, averaging 5.5 times a month.
Of men, 23.2 percent reported a binge of about nine drinks in the past month, compared with 11.4 percent of women who averaged 5.9 drinks per binge. Binge drinking prevalence rose with household income: Binges were reported by about 20 percent of people earning $75,000+ annually. However, people earning less binged more frequently and consumed more per sitting. Binge drinking accounts for more than half of US alcohol consumed by adults, and 90 percent consumed by youths.
“It’s not just the usual suspects who are binge drinking,” Brewer said. “This is not just a problem of high school kids and college students. It’s a problem across the lifespan.”
The report, “Vital Signs: Binge Drinking Prevalence, Frequency, and Intensity Among Adults - United States, 2010,” was published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2012;61(01):14-19).
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
AIDS Kills 2,608 Cambodians in 2011, Down 11 Percent
The secretary-general of the National AIDS Authority said on Jan. 5 that 2,608 Cambodians died of AIDS in 2011, an 11 percent decline from 2010.
“We see a good result in our efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Teng Kunthy, while acknowledging the need to do more. New infections declined by 12 percent, from 1,726 (including 256 children) in 2010 to 1,517 (including 191 children) in 2011.
According to the UN Development Program’s 2011 survey on the socioeconomic impact of HIV in the nation, an estimated 75,000 Cambodians in 60,000 households are living with HIV/AIDS. About 96.7 percent of these individuals have received antiretroviral therapy.
Kunthy said his country needs $58 million a year to combat HIV. Cambodia relies on external donors for more than 90 percent of its anti-AIDS efforts.
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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“We see a good result in our efforts to fight against HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Teng Kunthy, while acknowledging the need to do more. New infections declined by 12 percent, from 1,726 (including 256 children) in 2010 to 1,517 (including 191 children) in 2011.
According to the UN Development Program’s 2011 survey on the socioeconomic impact of HIV in the nation, an estimated 75,000 Cambodians in 60,000 households are living with HIV/AIDS. About 96.7 percent of these individuals have received antiretroviral therapy.
Kunthy said his country needs $58 million a year to combat HIV. Cambodia relies on external donors for more than 90 percent of its anti-AIDS efforts.
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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Board Approves New School Sex Education Policy
The board of trustees recently adopted a sex education policy for Forest Municipal School District, complying with a state law that makes sex education mandatory. Under the law, districts have until June 30, 2012, to adopt a policy to implement either abstinence-only or abstinence-plus education in their curriculum.
After the board tabled the issue in November, it came up for discussion at the Dec. 12 meeting. “If we do this we need to do it the right way,” said Leslie Jones, a board member voicing support for an abstinence-plus curriculum. In short order, the board approved this approach and agreed to evaluate whether the district would hire a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse for the program.
Under state law, parents must consent to their child’s participation in sex education lessons, and boys and girls are to be taught in separate classes.
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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After the board tabled the issue in November, it came up for discussion at the Dec. 12 meeting. “If we do this we need to do it the right way,” said Leslie Jones, a board member voicing support for an abstinence-plus curriculum. In short order, the board approved this approach and agreed to evaluate whether the district would hire a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse for the program.
Under state law, parents must consent to their child’s participation in sex education lessons, and boys and girls are to be taught in separate classes.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Singapore Youth Counselors Call for Sex Education to Start Earlier
A court case involving underage sex has advocates calling for improvements in sex education in Singapore. According to a report in the local daily Strait Times, the 15-year-old-girl in the case was told by her boyfriend that his menthol cigarettes would kill his sperm.
Currently, the Education Ministry’s sex education program is taught by approved vendors to students beginning in upper-primary school through to junior college and centralized institutes. The curriculum examines sex in the context of a heterosexual married couple and promotes abstinence as the best option for teens. In addition, it teaches teens how to say no to sex and provides them with information on STD risks.
But the court case shows that younger teens also need instruction, since some children now start puberty earlier, some counselors say. The parents of primary school-age children need to be taught how to talk to their kids about sex in an age-appropriate fashion, said Rachel Lee, who runs a family service center that offers sex education instruction in several schools.
“When dating couples get more intimate, some guys will come up with all sorts of explanations for not having to worry about pregnancy after sex,” said Lee.
“The programs need to include more real-life scenarios and case studies, so teens can relate to these and apply them to the situations they are in,” said psychologist Daniel Koh of Insights Mind Center.
Last September, a Bayer HealthCare survey showed nearly one-third of Singaporeans were misinformed about contraception. Some of the women polled reported that rinsing their genitals with Coca-Cola or positioning themselves upside-down after sex could prevent pregnancy.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Currently, the Education Ministry’s sex education program is taught by approved vendors to students beginning in upper-primary school through to junior college and centralized institutes. The curriculum examines sex in the context of a heterosexual married couple and promotes abstinence as the best option for teens. In addition, it teaches teens how to say no to sex and provides them with information on STD risks.
But the court case shows that younger teens also need instruction, since some children now start puberty earlier, some counselors say. The parents of primary school-age children need to be taught how to talk to their kids about sex in an age-appropriate fashion, said Rachel Lee, who runs a family service center that offers sex education instruction in several schools.
“When dating couples get more intimate, some guys will come up with all sorts of explanations for not having to worry about pregnancy after sex,” said Lee.
“The programs need to include more real-life scenarios and case studies, so teens can relate to these and apply them to the situations they are in,” said psychologist Daniel Koh of Insights Mind Center.
Last September, a Bayer HealthCare survey showed nearly one-third of Singaporeans were misinformed about contraception. Some of the women polled reported that rinsing their genitals with Coca-Cola or positioning themselves upside-down after sex could prevent pregnancy.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
N.J. Legislature Passes Bill Allowing Over-the-Counter Syringe Purchases
The Legislature on Monday night approved a bill that would allow persons at least 18 years old to purchase syringes from pharmacies without a prescription. Gov. Chris Christie had conditionally vetoed the bill earlier in the day, commending efforts to prevent disease but citing his concern that minors might access syringes.
“While this legislation would remove unnecessary impediments for insulin-dependent diabetics and other individuals who use injectable medications, additional public safety measures are necessary to limit the distribution of needles and syringes used for non-medical purposes, and to discourage minors from buying them,” said the governor’s veto statement.
In response to Christie’s concerns, the amended legislation requires that pharmacists be shown a photo ID or other proof that a buyer is not a minor. The revision also clarifies that criminal prosecutions for drug possession and distribution would not be hindered by the law.
The revised measure passed by votes of 22-9 in the Senate and 55-17 in the Assembly. The state Department of Health and Senior Services must provide pharmacists with information about drug treatment and syringe disposal, according to the conditional veto.
“We are thrilled,” said Roseanne Scotti, director of the Drug Policy Alliance of New Jersey. “The changes are very workable and reasonable.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
“While this legislation would remove unnecessary impediments for insulin-dependent diabetics and other individuals who use injectable medications, additional public safety measures are necessary to limit the distribution of needles and syringes used for non-medical purposes, and to discourage minors from buying them,” said the governor’s veto statement.
In response to Christie’s concerns, the amended legislation requires that pharmacists be shown a photo ID or other proof that a buyer is not a minor. The revision also clarifies that criminal prosecutions for drug possession and distribution would not be hindered by the law.
The revised measure passed by votes of 22-9 in the Senate and 55-17 in the Assembly. The state Department of Health and Senior Services must provide pharmacists with information about drug treatment and syringe disposal, according to the conditional veto.
“We are thrilled,” said Roseanne Scotti, director of the Drug Policy Alliance of New Jersey. “The changes are very workable and reasonable.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Rhode Island Receives $1 Million for AIDS Programs
Rhode Island is receiving more than $1 million from the US Department of Health and Human Services to expand programs to fight HIV/AIDS.
Of the total, $600,000 will go to the state Department of Health to support enhanced testing and prevention; Miriam Hospital in Providence will receive more than $400,000 for testing, prevention, and treatment.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) announced the grant Tuesday.
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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Of the total, $600,000 will go to the state Department of Health to support enhanced testing and prevention; Miriam Hospital in Providence will receive more than $400,000 for testing, prevention, and treatment.
Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) announced the grant Tuesday.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Sitka Planned Parenthood Clinic to Downsize
Funding cutbacks are forcing the Planned Parenthood health center on Lake Street in Sitka to close at the end of January and reopen at another site in February, according to agency officials. The new location has not yet been selected, and it will not be staffed by a certified nurse practitioner, only a center employee. Instead, patients there will be able to speak with a CNP via secure video conference, officials said.
Sitka’s current part-time clinic sees about 270 patients annually. Due to difficulty finding CNPs to staff the office, telemedicine has been in use there for at least the last year, said Clover Simon, a Planned Parenthood spokesperson in Alaska.
At the new site, some reproductive services like Pap testing will not be offered, and STD testing could be reduced. Which STD screenings are offered will depend on whether the clinic staffer is certified to draw blood. Tests for infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia, which require only a urine sample, will continue, said Simon.
“There will definitely be less access for some women. We’re going to try as hard as we can to fill that gap, but the reality is it’s going to cause hardship for some women,” Simon said.
Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest (PPGNW), which operates facilities in Alaska, Idaho and Washington, is wrestling with state and federal budget cuts. Three smaller clinics in Washington will close, said Seattle-based spokesperson Kristen Glundberg-Prossor.
However, “This restructuring is an opportunity for Sitka to be the pilot for a new and more efficient care delivery model for PPGNW rural service areas,” officials said. “Our hope is that this model will enable PPGNW to reach many new patients through Alaska and other remote areas of the great Northwest.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Sitka’s current part-time clinic sees about 270 patients annually. Due to difficulty finding CNPs to staff the office, telemedicine has been in use there for at least the last year, said Clover Simon, a Planned Parenthood spokesperson in Alaska.
At the new site, some reproductive services like Pap testing will not be offered, and STD testing could be reduced. Which STD screenings are offered will depend on whether the clinic staffer is certified to draw blood. Tests for infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia, which require only a urine sample, will continue, said Simon.
“There will definitely be less access for some women. We’re going to try as hard as we can to fill that gap, but the reality is it’s going to cause hardship for some women,” Simon said.
Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest (PPGNW), which operates facilities in Alaska, Idaho and Washington, is wrestling with state and federal budget cuts. Three smaller clinics in Washington will close, said Seattle-based spokesperson Kristen Glundberg-Prossor.
However, “This restructuring is an opportunity for Sitka to be the pilot for a new and more efficient care delivery model for PPGNW rural service areas,” officials said. “Our hope is that this model will enable PPGNW to reach many new patients through Alaska and other remote areas of the great Northwest.”
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Ohio Says Cincinnati Can't Administer STD Grants
Cincinnati has lost control of nearly $737,000 in state STD grants for 2012, with state officials channeling most of the money to the county level. The state’s move was based in part on the city failing to get passing scores for its grant applications, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. The grants were awarded instead to the Public Health Department of Dayton and Montgomery County, with the stipulation that 90 percent goes to Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati, state officials said.
Cincinnati was faulted for having no improvement plan to reduce STDs or way to determine the success of efforts, said Tessie Pollock, an Ohio Department of Health (ODH) spokesperson. The city’s applications provided too little detail about target populations, little explanation of how case monitoring would improve, and no details on how a social media campaign would work, state reviewers said.
“It’s gotten so bad in the last few years we had no choice but to find a new partner to address the problem,” said William McHugh, ODH’s division of prevention chief.
Cincinnati Health Commissioner Noble Maseru disputed the review and pledged to fight the decision, which McHugh said is final. The city’s legal department is reviewing the denial.
“Our department is doing great work,” said Maseru, who contends the state has refused to correct faulty scoring on the application. “The state has placed us in an extremely difficult situation.”
Cincinnati said it will use city funding to operate an STD treatment clinic; state officials said Friday they could not verify that. Hamilton County health workers will conduct follow-up work, including investigating STD outbreaks, partner notification, and educating people on how to protect themselves.
A report last year said Hamilton County ranked 12th nationally in the number of syphilis cases and third when accounting for population, the Enquirer said.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
Cincinnati was faulted for having no improvement plan to reduce STDs or way to determine the success of efforts, said Tessie Pollock, an Ohio Department of Health (ODH) spokesperson. The city’s applications provided too little detail about target populations, little explanation of how case monitoring would improve, and no details on how a social media campaign would work, state reviewers said.
“It’s gotten so bad in the last few years we had no choice but to find a new partner to address the problem,” said William McHugh, ODH’s division of prevention chief.
Cincinnati Health Commissioner Noble Maseru disputed the review and pledged to fight the decision, which McHugh said is final. The city’s legal department is reviewing the denial.
“Our department is doing great work,” said Maseru, who contends the state has refused to correct faulty scoring on the application. “The state has placed us in an extremely difficult situation.”
Cincinnati said it will use city funding to operate an STD treatment clinic; state officials said Friday they could not verify that. Hamilton County health workers will conduct follow-up work, including investigating STD outbreaks, partner notification, and educating people on how to protect themselves.
A report last year said Hamilton County ranked 12th nationally in the number of syphilis cases and third when accounting for population, the Enquirer said.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
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