prevention

I know this is kind of late, I wanted to post this awhile ago but I couldnt edit it in time and than I had finals and it just got way messy and busy the last two weeks after Forum.. But I finally got this thing edited and I hope you all enjoy.

Hello everyone, just wanted to say what a great time I've been having at the Forum. I hope everyone who is attending is finding the information they need to take back to their home states!

I've had several questions regarding next week's AIDS Watch.  So, here's the link to NAPWA's page that discusses AIDS Watch http://www.napwa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=10.

I've also got additional information that I can email you if you need it, so let me know.  You can talk to me at the Forum or you can email me at im1drny@hotmail.com.

Also, let me know what your state is doing to implement health reform!  I'll talk about that later.

Kisses,

Michael Foy Mitchell

The conference could go on for another week - I wouldn't mind. And not because of the wonderful hotel and the great people, but because there is so much information.

I attended the 9:00 a.m. Treatment Symposium where David Evans began speaking about current treatment challenges. He wondered why people are surprised that HAART adherence remains an issue today. Certainly, someone taking one pill (or a few pills, sometimes) for the rest of their life is easy! Isn't it? Unfortunately, some health care professionals are baffled by non-adherence.

Nelson Vergel from PoWeRUSA discussed the issue of body image and how HAART is associated with metabolic disorders such as lipoatrophy, fat accumulation, and hyper-lactatemia. And thanks for the tip! "Never use the word 'cosmetic' when advocating for reconstructive surgery."

These topics are relevant to me as a future behavioral health professional. Psychologists or therapists who work in a medical setting can foster self-efficacy beliefs of individuals who are faced with the challenge of high percentage regimen adherence. They can also help patients with body issues and self-esteem, keeping in mind pressures of gay popular culture to appear a certain way.

At this morning's symposium, someone mentioned the issue of underreporting side effects from HAART. Patients, especially long-term survivors, sometimes compare side effects experienced today with side effects experienced 10-20 years ago. In the current health setting, face-to-face time with physicians is extremely limited. It often takes time and prodding to get to the bottom of a patient's true experience with their HAART regimen.

The point is that pharmaceutical companies market their drugs to physicians and inquire into patient well-being in terms of side effects.  Physicians sometimes (and the speaker believes this is more often than not) report that their patients are so grateful for the newest regimens that they report "all is fine." Because psychologists see patients more frequently, it is an excellent opportunity to lay this misinformation to rest. Psychologists should speak with primary care physicians about HAART side effects reported by clients, of course with patient consent, which is often the case in a multidisciplinary setting. Health psychologists need to speak up on behalf of their patients when pharmaceutical companies inquire into HAART side effects. This will offer support for the need to continue with funded research into new treatment options.

So much I've learned in just one day. Thanks HIVRCF.

Tonights opening plenary session was so uplifting and fear inspiring. I loved the heartfelt stories of the trails and tribulations of getting oneself involved in the fight of saving ones life and helping others to gain the needed knowledge to remember that the fight is not over yet!!!!

I was looking at the scholarship Break down and I want to say that I am from NJ and only 2 applicants received a scholarship so I want to say a deep felt thank you to Tracy Swan for reading my application and accepting me to attend.......  read more »

Hey Everyone!

My name is Durryle and I am extremely excited about what this conference represents! For me, this conference really marks the beginning of my journey into the vast and extensive field of HIV Research. As a person who received bare bones prevention information and little to no information as to how the HIV virus actually effects the body-- this gathering of activists, health educators, medical providers, and researchers will provide me with a more holistic view of HIV.

I am particularly interested in hearing whether or not there are new ways of thinking and talking about the HIV virus. If discourse reflects worldviews, than how is our talking and thinking informing the type of research and treatment strategies people are embarking on? From my perspective, the search and destroy method has not yielded the results that we would have hoped. So theoretically, are there other strategies that might prove more fruitful moving forward than those that have traditionally relied upon search and destroy methods? I am not sure, but I am hopeful that some of my questions will be answered at the HIV Research Catalyst Forum.

Durryle

Your Input Needed! Free Food for it!

PUMA, the Prevention Umbrella for Men who have sex with men the Americas, is a planning project that will lead to a large-scale randomized controlled trial of an HIV prevention package that will include several different prevention strategies.  Examples of the strategies that may be included are: PrEP, circumcision, couples counseling, home testing, and others.

Gaining input from diverse MSM communities about the individual strategies and the overall package will be critical for the success of this project!

Join Kaijson Noilmar, PUMA Community Advisory Committee member, and Project Director for the Legacy Project and Cindra Feuer of AVAC, to learn more about PUMA, and offer input into the community engagement strategy for this effort, and of course, eat yummy food!

When: Wednesday, April 21st at 5:30-7pm  read more »

Hello, my name is Javier Rios and I work in Albuquerque, New Mexico coordinating the MPowerment Project for New Mexico AIDS Services. I have been working for NMAS for almost 5 years with MPower Albuquerque. I am very excited to be attending the HIV Research Catalyst Forum in Baltimore. I am a gay native New Mexican and very proud to represent my communities, having the opportunity to share and collaborate with others from across the United States.

For my first blog I would like to write about homophobia and how I believe it is one of the greatest barriers to HIV prevention in the United States. From my experience working with young gay, bi, and transgender men in my community, prevention messages are not being delivered to or being received by the people most at risk. In New Mexico MSM, men who have sex with men, make up the largest percentage of HIV cases. They are the highest risk group in New Mexico like other parts of the United States and have the least access to appropriate prevention messages. I believe that homophobia, gay stigma, and HIV/AIDS stigma has caused a double speak where MSM risk for HIV is acknowledged, money is provided to target MSM and yet the messages are censored.  read more »

25 March 2010 [MediaGlobal]: A new Mother-Baby pack for HIV positive women aims to revolutionize the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) in several African countries.

Components of the color-coded Mother-Baby pack contain antibiotic and ARV medications for HIV-positive pregnant women and their newborns.

Many women in developing countries are unable to access formal health centers throughout their pregnancy and delivery due to logistical difficulties and lack of infrastructure. Historically when women visited a health center, they would be tested and told to return for further PMTCT services. However, many women have to travel far to reach health centers and some cannot afford the transportation costs, so many are unable to return. read more...

... just wanted to take a moment and introduce myself before they let me loose on the streets of Baltimore. I'm a Prevention Specialist and Volunteer Coordinator currently residing in Lexington, KY. I'm originally from Richmond, VA and I've held many job titles in my life. The career I have chosen for myself at this point is by far the hardest I've ever had, but definately the most important. I'm looking forward to meeting people as passionate as I am about not only encouraging change in the world around us, but being instrumental in the process by which it happens. I hope to see you all soon and please forgive me if there is a camera between us when we first meet. The eyes are the window to the soul and I'm merely attempting to capture what my soul has seen.

~angel