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U.S. Prisons Missing Opportunities To Provide HIV Testing, Education, Prevention, Panel Says
Medical News Today, Thursday, April 24, 2008 — The U.S. correctional system is missing valuable opportunities to provide HIV testing, educating and prevention to its more than two million state, federal and local inmates, panelists said at a recent briefing on HIV/AIDS in correctional settings, CQ HealthBeat reports. According to new information from the American Foundation for AIDS Research, prisoners are three times more likely to be HIV-positive than the general population
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20 years after diagnosis, some with HIV press for more prevention efforts
SanLuisObispo.com, Friday, April 18, 2008 — MIAMI — "I'm living with AIDS, not dying from it," John Muhammad wrote in 1999. He still lives, 21 years after his HIV diagnosis in 1987. "All they had at that time was AZT," he says, referring to the first drug approved for treating HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. As more medications hit the market, Muhammad took as many as 15 pills a day. Today he takes three daily, each containing more than one medication. At 63, he's surprised to be alive. …
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Black Churches In Florida, Nationwide, Launch HIV/AIDS Testing Initiative Targeted Toward Black Community
Medical News Today, Thursday, April 17, 2008 — Black religious leaders across Florida have launched a joint initiative between the state Department of Health and the African Methodist Episcopal Church to establish an HIV/AIDS testing site in at least one church in every county in an effort to address the high HIV/AIDS rate among black state residents, the Orlando Sentinel reports. In Florida, HIV/AIDS-related conditions are the leading cause of death for blacks ages 25 to 44, according to the health department. Blacks make up 14% of the state's population but accounted for 54% of all AIDS cases reported in 2007, state health department figures show. …
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CDC Makes It Official: HIV Infections Up a "Catastrophic" 48% Nationwide
GayWired.com, Sunday, April 6, 2008 — A CDC HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, that was quietly released recently, shows a "catastrophic" 48% increase in US HIV infections between the years 2005 and 2006. The number of infections jumped to 52,878 new reported cases in 2006 up from 35,537 reported in 2005. With the lifetime costs of one HIV-infected individual's treatment and care estimated to be $600,000, these new CDC surveillance numbers suggest a $36 billion aggregate cost for caring for these nearly 53,000 individuals. …
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Running helps in battle vs. HIV
Chicago Sun, Tuesday, March 25, 2008 — When Jason Taylor learned last March that he was HIV-positive, he started running. Twelve months later, he hasn't stopped. With his first marathon already in the books, Taylor is looking forward to his next. But first things first. On Sunday morning, Taylor will line up with some 30,000 other runners in Grant Park to compete in the Bank of America 8K Shamrock Shuffle, otherwise known as the start of the running season. Think of it as Opening Day without the bats and balls. And Taylor can't wait. …
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CDC Data Show 80 Percent Increase In HIV Among Young African American Men Who Have Sex With Men
Medical News Today, Saturday, March 15, 2008 — Yesterday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally released data it had long held internally that demonstrate an alarming increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases among African American young men who have sex with men (YMSM). The report, CDC HIV/AIDS Update: New Surveillance Slide Set on Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM), shows that in the 33 states that collected data, the number of HIV/AIDS cases increased among adult and adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM) in all age groups from 2001 through 2005. The largest proportional increase, however, occurred among MSM ages 13-24, with African American/black YMSM in this age category suffering the largest increase — up from 928 cases in 2001 to 1,618 cases in 2005. …
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African Americans Still Disproportionately Affected By HIV/AIDS
Washington, Thursday, February 7, 2008 — African Americans account for almost half the number of people living with HIV/AIDS but represent only 13 percent of the population. Today civil rights groups, health care professionals and AIDS awareness workers are observing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day hoping to draw attention to what the Centers for Disease Control calls an urgent situation. Among Black Americans, men continue to bear the greatest burden of HIV. In 2005, the rate of HIV diagnosis among black men was nearly seven times higher than that of white men, with black gay and bisexual men representing more than half of all diagnoses. …
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COMING JUNE 28! The 10th Annual Big Bend Cares Artopia Art Auction is back again this year! Come out and celebrate 10 years of Artopia, purchase some amazing works of art from local artists, and help raise money in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Visit the Web site!
Please Note: This is a come-as-you-are event. Formal attire welcome but not required.
BIG BEND CARES LOVES ITS VOLUNTEERS! We have tons of opportunities for volunteers to roll up their sleeves and help out in the fight against HIV/AIDS. For more information, please contact Diana Slater, dslater@bigbendcares.org, or call 656-2437, Extension 301.
IN NOVEMBER, BIG BEND CARES WAS HONORED with the prestigious Sapphire Award from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida's Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida. The award is given for excellence in public health programming. Big Bend Cares was one of five honorees from a total of 43 nominees. We are very proud to have received this $25,000 grant. The money has been placed in the Big Bend Cares endowment so it can grow and move the agency toward greater self-sustainability. Visit our Multimedia page to watch The Blue Foundation's inspirational video about Big Bend Cares!
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