In the news Today

For Those with HIV, Cigarettes Have Become More Dangerous Than the Actual Virus

According to a study out this week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, those with HIV infections who are also smokers are now more likely to die from smoking than anything related to HIV itself. In fact, among European populations smoking was found to reduce life expectancies among those with HIV by about twice as much HIV itself. In the US, where rates of HIV treatment adherence are generally worse, HIV and smoking are about equal in terms of (indirect) causes of death.

"In persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, smoking is a scourge," writes Keri Althoff, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a commentary accompanying the new study. "This study makes clear that we must prioritize smoking cessation among adults with HIV if we want them to have an increase in the quantity (and likely quality) of life."

It's a reminder that treating HIV, as with any chronic illness really, is a holistic endeavor. We can get so far with drugs—and controlling HIV is one of the more amazing things we've accomplished with those drugs—but Reddy's study makes it clear just how easy it is to erase those gains if we try to look at diseases in isolation.

Journal of Infectious Diseases

Johns Hopkins School Of Public Health.

HIV/AIDS IS NOT OVER YET !!! WISH IT WAS !

There has been a lot of progress made in the care and treatment of people with this disease.  Although it might seem like all is well , it is not necessarily the case. Let us not forget that there is still a great number of people infected in Sub-Saharan Africa. YES medication and technology has evolved over the course of time but it does not mean HIV/AIDS has been ERADICATED OR CURED !!! .

The focus for this next era of my blog is to continue to create awareness and looking for information to shed light on those dealing with the stigma that still plagues folks that are living with this ailment.  Stay tuned! thanks

Social and cultural barriers

• Stigma and discrimination

"HIV-related stigma and discrimination remains a major barrier to tackling the HIV and AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Cultural beliefs about HIV and AIDS around contamination, sexuality and religion have played a crucial role in the development of HIV-related discrimination. In many places, it is thought to have actually increased the number of HIV infections by preventing people from accessing HIV services.

Moreover, studies have shown how healthcare workers negative and discriminatory views towards HIV-positive people are influenced by, and often similar, to those in the general population."

• The status of women

"Women and girls often face discrimination in terms of access to education, employment and healthcare. In this region, men often dominate sexual relationships. As a result, women cannot always practice safer sex even when they know the risks involved. Gender-based violence has been identified as a key driver of HIV transmission in the region.

Efforts are being made to improve the situation regarding women and HIV. For example, a High-Level Taskforce on Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV for Eastern and Southern Africa was launched at the 16th International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa. It aims to improve country actions and monitor the implementation of the draft 'Windhoek Declaration for Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV'. The Windhoek Declaration draft (April 2011), recommends action in a number of areas including sexual and reproductive health, violence against women and HIV, as well as the law, gender and HIV."

It is more blessed to give than to recieve

Being generous isn’t even always about altruism – becoming more generous and compassionate will have real tangible benefits in your own life, according to some of the bite-sized wisdom of the individuals below.

 No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”– Charles Dickens

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Some statistics to help guide our thoughts as we attempt to assist those affected by this ailment

HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa regional overview 

2013-2014

24.7 million people living with hiv

4.7% adult prevalence

1.5 million new infections

1.1 million aids-related deaths

39% adults on anti retroviral treatment  (unaids reports 2014)

A review of 45 studies across sub-Saharan Africa found that relationships between young women and older men are common and associated with unsafe sexual behavior and low condom use, which heightens their risk of HIV infection.5

Children

In July 2011, UNAIDS developed a Global Plan to eliminate new HIV infections among children by 2015 and keep their mothers alive, and identified 21 priority countries in sub-Saharan Africa.6

Since 2009, there has been a 43% decline in new HIV infections among children in the Global Plan priority countries, from 350,000 to 200,000 in 2013. However, declines vary greatly between countries.7

For example, in this period, new HIV infections among children in Malawi declined by 67% and by over 50% in Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. By contrast, Nigeria only achieved a 19% fall and accounted for a quarter of new HIV infections among children in Global Plan priority countries in 2013 (51,000 cases).

Are you in the know ?

In our efforts to prevent HIV transmission and improve the care of persons living with HIV we must keep foremost in mind that we are not merely dealing with the interplay between a retrovirus and an individual’s immune system; it’s a much more nuanced interaction. Understanding and addressing the relevant social, economic and environmental circumstances of our client’s lives is as important today as it was back in 1981. And while as a nation we may have moved beyond the more blatant, headline-grabbing forms of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV in that first decade of the epidemic, we must continue to confront HIV-related stigma whenever and wherever we encounter it. Finally– and this is a lesson that we should never forget–we are stronger and more effective when we can work together, building bridges across programs, disciplines and perspectives. The fact that biomedical science has tremendously advanced our ability to counter this epidemic should never be misinterpreted to mean that other components of a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS are no longer necessary. Strong leadership, community mobilization, a shared vision of success and an unwavering commitment to empowering our most vulnerable populations must always be at the heart of our work to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic here in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Ronald Valdiserri

Legal barriers related to HIV/AIDS

In many countries, there are laws criminalizing people who expose others to HIV or transmit the virus via sexual intercourse. Supporters of criminalization often claim they are promoting public health or justify these laws on moral grounds. However, such laws do not acknowledge the role of ART in reducing transmission risk and improving quality of life for those living with HIV.

The past decade has seen new wave of HIV-specific criminal legislation in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. In Western Africa, a number of countries have passed such laws following a regional workshop in Chad in 2004 which aimed to develop a 'model' law on HIV and AIDS for the region.

The law guarantees pre and post-testing counselling and anti-discrimination protections in employment and insurance for people living with HIV. However, it holds HIV-positive people responsible for disclosing their status to anyone they have sexual intercourse with as well as measures to prevent HIV transmission. If they do not, they face criminal sanctions. Under these types of laws, there is the possibility that pregnant women living with HIV could be prosecuted for transmitting the virus to their baby.