A Damn Shame!

May 13, 2008

Updated fact sheets, Kaiser Family Foundation: The fact sheets provide information about the impact of HIV/AIDS on blacks, Latinos and women in the U.S. Each fact sheet includes data about trends and current cases, as well as population-specific information on HIV transmission patterns and access to care (Kaiser Family Foundation release, 5/12)...

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Pos or Not

May 02, 2008

Pos or Not is an online viral game developed by mtvU, MTV Networks' Peabody & Emmy Award-winning 24-hour college network, and the Kaiser Family Foundation, in partnership with POZ Magazine. Think you can tell if someone has HIV? The game desires to challenge your assumptions about HIV. Play the game and see if you can tell who is Pos or Not. http://posornot.com/ ..

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World AIDS Day - December 1, 2007

November 30, 2007

Tomorrow is World AIDS Day. Throughout the world, events will highlight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, give the statistics, and remember those who have lost their lives to this disease. The EvanCole Foundation, Inc. is committed to spreading the word about the devastating impact HIV/AIDS has on human beings regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation. We must all unite to fight this disease. We can start the process by taking personal responsibility to get tested and know your status. Knowledge is power! Education is key to obtaining a greater understanding of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ..

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Many People Don't Think AIDS Is Fatal: Survey

November 19, 2007

While most respondents to a nine-country survey said AIDS is always a fatal illness, many incorrectly believed a cure is available. The research project involved 4,510 interviews conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, India, Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa. It was commissioned by the MAC AIDS Fund, a philanthropy established by Estee Lauder's MAC cosmetics company. ..

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HIV Prevention and Risks

September 08, 2007

There are many steps you can take to help protect yourself against and prevent HIV and AIDS. Sexual Prevention One of the main ways HIV transmission occurs is through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Therefore, the best way to prevent being infected with the HIV virus is by practicing abstinence. This means to refrain from having sex. Having sex within a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with someone who has tested free of HIV is also considered to be safe. ..

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Today is National HIV Testing Day

June 27, 2007

National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is an annual campaign produced by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US) to encourage at-risk individuals to receive voluntary HIV counseling and testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 180,000 to 280,000 people nationwide are HIV-positive but are unaware of their status. HIV counseling and testing enables people with HIV to take steps to protect their own health and that of their partners, and helps people who test negative get the information they need to stay uninfected. ..

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How safe is it to have sex with my HIV-positive boyfriend?

June 27, 2007

Question (The following Question/Answer is provided by HIV InSite.) I am HIV negative, I have been tested twice, I am thinking about dating a guy with AIDS who was diagnosed seven years ago and has been doing well physically for 3 years. His T-cell count is 202. How safe is it to open mouth kiss, french kiss, to deeply kiss him? Also how safe is it to have vaginal sexual intercourse? I heard if you use 2 condoms that it is safe. I really like this person a lot but I am scared to death to kiss him or have intercourse with him. ..

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HIV Risk Associated with Different Types of Sexual Activity

May 24, 2007

Sexual contact is the most common route of HIV transmission. By December 2001, 51% of all HIV infections among adolescents and adults reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were sexually transmitted (35% by male homosexual contact, 11% by heterosexual contact in females, 5% by heterosexual contact in males). Worldwide, heterosexual transmission is the most common route of HIV infection. Given the importance of sexual transmission in the HIV epidemic, many HIV prevention strategies have focused on identifying and promoting safer-sex practices. ..

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HIV Testing

May 11, 2007

In some parts of the world where HIV infection rates are the highest, the one factor that seems to keep the HIV epidemic going strong is that many people don’t realize they are HIV infected. They in turn unknowingly infect others through unprotected sex. It’s obvious that one of the best ways to slow the HIV infection rate is to make sure people are aware of their HIV status by getting HIV tested. Let’s take a closer look at HIV testing...

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A Guide to Sexually Transmitted Diseases: HIV/AIDS

April 19, 2007

What is HIV? HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus may be passed from one person to another when infected blood, semen, or vaginal secretions come in contact with an uninfected person’s broken skin or mucous membranes*. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Some of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. ..

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Fighting HIV in the Prison Population

April 04, 2007

In January, Rep. Barbara Lee (Democrat-California) introduced a bill (H.R. 178) to Congress that would require prisons to provide HIV counseling and prevention education efforts and to distribute sexual barrier protection devices to inmates in federal prison. Many states see condoms as contraband and are ignoring the need to determine groups most affected by HIV/AIDS. Without first acknowledging the problem, strategies cannot be developed to treat HIV and other STDs in prison. ..

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Snip Snip, U.N. health agencies recommend circumcision

March 29, 2007

GENEVA (AP) -- U.N. health agencies recommended Wednesday that heterosexual men undergo circumcision because of ''compelling'' evidence that it can reduce their chances of contracting HIV by up to 60 percent. But World Health Organization and UNAIDS experts said men need to be aware that circumcision is only partial protection against the virus and must be used with other measures. ''We must be clear,'' said Catherine Hankins of UNAIDS. ''Male circumcision does not provide complete protection against HIV.'' Studies suggest 5.7 million new cases of HIV infection and 3 million deaths over 20 years could be prevented by male circumcision in sub-Saharan Africa, the agencies said. Still, men and women who consider male circumcision as an HIV preventive method need to continue using other forms of protection such as male and female condoms, abstinence, delaying the start of sexual activity and reducing the number of sexual partners, she said. Otherwise, they could develop a false sense of security and engage in high-risk behaviors that could undermine the partial protection provided by male circumcision, the agencies said. Men also should be warned that they are at a higher risk of being infected with HIV if they resume sex before their wound has healed. Likewise an HIV-positive man can more easily pass on the disease to his partner if the wound is still unhealed. The recommendations were based on a meeting earlier this month in Montreux, Switzerland, where experts discussed three trials -- in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa -- that produced ''strong evidence'' of the risk reduction resulting from heterosexual male circumcision...

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Gel made from algae could help fight HIV

March 18, 2007

Researchers in Brazil have developed a microbe-killing gel from algae that could potentially be used to block HIV infection. The gel has been 95% efficient in preliminary lab tests, with a second round of tests starting in February on mice and live cells from the cervix, followed by human studies next year (the gel could be on the market in seven years). The project is part of a worldwide effort to develop such microbicides (ex. gels, sponges and creams) that prevent HIV and other STDs, and is seen as a potential way to give women more power to protect themselves against HIV. BBC News..

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March 10, 2007 - National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

March 08, 2007

On this day, a coalition including the Department of Health and Human Services, The Leadership Campaign on AIDS, and The Office on Women’s Health seek to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of women and girls. The theme is “Taking Action to Save Our Lives”. There are a myriad of ways women and girls can fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Those methods include “getting tested for HIV, practicing safe methods to prevent HIV, deciding not to engage in high risk behaviors, talking about HIV prevention with family, friends and colleagues, empowering oneself, and providing support to those living with HIV/AIDS”...

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HIV/AIDS and Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)

February 27, 2007

The term men who have sex with men (MSM) refers to all men who have sex with other men, regardless of how they identify themselves (gay, bisexual, or heterosexual). In the United States, HIV and AIDS have had a tremendous impact on MSM. AIDS has been diagnosed for more than half a million MSM. Almost 300,000 MSM with AIDS have died during the past 20 years. MSM made up about two thirds of all men living with HIV in 2004, even though only about 5% to 7% of men in the United States reported having sex with other men. In a 2005 study, 46% of African American MSM were HIV-positive. ..

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FLORIDA: "HIV Patient Shares Her Story: 'It Took Me Two Seconds' to Make a Wrong Decision"

February 19, 2007

At Fort Lauderdale's African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 75 students attended a health and wellness forum on HIV/AIDS. Organizers of the event said the topic was chosen specifically because the message is still not getting through to some youths. "They're not getting this in schools and they're getting misinformation from their peers," said Dr. Pamela Merritt, medical director of the HIV/AIDS division of the Broward County Health Department, an event sponsor...

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New AIDS drug shows 'phenomenal' results

January 12, 2007

AIDS researchers said a new drug shows promise for inhibiting the HIV virus in patients new to treatment or those currently taking a drug cocktail. Clinical studies of the drug, called an integrase inhibitor, showed that, when combined with two existing drugs, it reduced the virus to undetectable levels in nearly 100% of HIV patients.

Physorg.com ..

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Circumcision may reduce risk of HIV infection

December 14, 2006

Results last year from a study in 3,280 heterosexual men in South Africa, which was also stopped early, showed a 60% drop in the incidence of new infections in men who had been circumcised. There are several reasons why circumcision may protect against HIV infection. Specific cells in the foreskin may be potential targets for HIV infection and also the skin under the foreskin becomes less sensitive and is less likely to bleed reducing risk of infection following circumcision. Check out the full story by the BBC...

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World AIDS Day 2006

December 01, 2006

Today, December 1st, is World Aids Day. This year's campaign is a call for accountability, urging every individual and government to get involved in stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide. With over 40 million infected around the globe, this disease has quickly become one the leading causes of death. According to the National AIDS Trust:

With “accountability” the theme of this World AIDS Day on 1 December, campaigners across the globe are calling leaders to account not just for good intentions, but for action to make those promises a reality [Worldaidscampaign.com].

Don't just be a bystander, get involved!

1. Wearing a ribbon
2. Talking to people
3. Getting involved in events

Get more info on how you can participate in World AIDS Day 2006 at Worldaidsday.org...

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The Facts Speak, HIV among African-Americans

August 30, 2006

African-Americans make up 13 percent of the United States population. This small percentage of the nation is disproportionately affected by disease and other health issues including HIV/AIDS. Drastic changes in sexual behavior must be made to stop this epidemic...

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Women and HIV Risk

August 16, 2006

On a global scale, AIDS has become an epidemic that disproportionately affects women. In sub-Saharan Africa, women living with HIV outnumber men. In many African regions, teenage girls have five times more likelihood of contracting HIV than their male counterparts. Other sexually transmitted diseases contribute to the spread of HIV...

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What is HIV?

August 10, 2006

Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV is a virus that slowly destroys the immune system. This virus infects certain white blood cells. These blood cells are called T4 helper cells. T4 helper cells help regulate the immune system. When people get the HIV virus these cells are destroyed. This stops the body from fighting off infections and some types of cancers like lymphoma. The diseases that your body can’t fight off cause health complications, that often result in death...

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