Quote from Miss Mother

Miss Mother was kind enough to send us a message today!

“Get tested today! Because the life you save may very well be your own”!

Lovin You,
Miss Mother

Expect to hear from Miss Mother at least once a month for HIV testing tips and advice.

Together Rx Expanding Coverage in Tough Economic Climate

This press-release from The Body is welcome news in this economy! Together Rx Access is a program that helps families pay for medication, and they just made it so that more people can get help. For instance, before the change, somebody who made over 30 grand was not eligible. Now somebody who makes under 45 grand is eligible! That's an increase of 50%!

It certainly appears to be worth looking into, and is especially relevant to people with chronic diseases like HIV, where missing medication can be the difference between life and death. Just a few missed doses and HIV can develop a resistance. What kinds of other obstacles stand in the way of people taking their medications?

Complacency in the Community Regarding HIV?

According to an article at The Body, male-to-male sex represented the largest transmission category for HIV from 2001 to 2006. It goes on to point how that it's possible that because of the life-saving medications that have been developed, HIV is regarded in a less serious fashion than it would be otherwise. The medications used can be debilitating, however, and often the quality of life is not what it could be when compared to if the person had never contracted HIV in the first place.

How big of an issue do you think complacency is? Is it merely the fact that HIV is no longer a guaranteed death sentence that is driving up infection rates, or is there some other cause? If so, what kind of action could be taken to make the public take the threat of HIV more seriously?

South Carolina = Washington D.C.?

In what’s probably the only bright spot for the news that D.C.’s HIV infection rate is sky-high, a recent report from the Kaiser foundation indicates that this might be opening some eyes elsewhere.  Having such a high prevalence in the capital of the most powerful country in the world is showing that HIV can get a hold anywhere that diligence in outreach and prevention is not what I t could be.  In this report, South Carolina is specifically mentioned as a locality taking a look at D.C.’s infection rate and seeing how dangerous letting HIV slide is.

 

In other news, the House has approved a bill that aims to establish a comprehensive policy to HIV screening and treatment in the nation’s prisons.  Given that HIV transmission occurs in prison from the use of dirty needles or MSM, this will has the potential to be able to turn back a part of the rising tide of HIV.  What do you think?

D.C. HIV Situation Even Worse?

A report posted to The Body indicates that the recent revelation that 3% of District residents are HIV-positive may be underestimating the problem. Apparently, the D.C. government plans to scale up its testing to get a better gauge of the problem. The D.C. metropolitan area is a very porous region, however, with many people moving back and forth over the Virginia and Maryland borders. This shouldn't be just a D.C. issue, but a regional issue. How can Virginia and Maryland reach out to the District, or vice versa? What kind of coordination should be happening in the D.C. area that isn't?

It should be noted, though, that a great number of people are living longer because of currently available medications. Do you think this might have inflated the numbers somewhat?

HIV/AIDS rate in D.C. up to 3%!

Big news. A Washington D.C. health report is about to be released showing that the HIV/AIDS rate in the District has hit 3%. That’s comparable to 3^rd-world countries that we’re giving billions of dollars of aid to. What is going wrong in D.C.? This is not a new problem that suddenly exploded on to the scene; officials have known for some time of the growing number of infections occurring in the D.C. area. It’s happening to men who have sex with men, heterosexuals, people who use injected drugs-everybody! It is disproportionately prevalent amongst black men and the poor of D.C. This is a massive problem. What do you think the D.C. government did wrong, and how might they fix it? How can Mayor Fenty step it up?