Here's a video produced by Beyond the Odds.
www.beyondtheodds.org
Saturday, August 29, 2009
22 and Positive
Here's a blog from Beyond the Odds blogger Mr. Maximus. Have you seen our new site? www.beyondtheodds.org
In 2007, when I first found out that I was HIV positive I felt so angry that my partner kept his status a secret from me. At the same time I felt hurt and sad. I could not even believe that I am positive. My Ex and I were going out for a year and we were having unprotected sex. He asked me nonchalantly if I wanted to use condoms during sex and I told him that I don’t use them. He responded, “That’s okay it’s your choice”.
At the time his comment seemed a bit strange but I paid it no mind. I did not know that he was indirectly telling me he was HIV positive. I guess I did not understand him. The night he finally decided to man up and be direct about his status was on New Year's Eve. We were in the Castro at a hangout spot called The Bar. I had just finished drinking my second Long Island Iced Tea when he told me he had something important to tell me. I said, “What is it?” He said, “I’m HIV positive”. It hit me like a fist to my face, knocking the breath out of me. I was ripped out of my drunken state of mind and instantly sobered up. I sat there for a while not speaking, letting the news to set in before I said anything. Eventually, I said “I am not mad at you for not telling me, but at some point it would have been nice to have been told. I am not going to dump you, but you are going to stick by my side all the way through.”
Every three months for about a year, I would go to the Larkin Street Medical clinic to get tested for HIV. In the testing room, I would sit in a chair sweating and waiting for the test results. To my surprise my test result always came back negative for HIV. Then one month, my lymph nodes started to swell, and then my boyfriend suggested I head back to the clinic for another test. This time, I decided to go somewhere new to get tested expecting the usual results of negative. However, this time when the nurse returned with the results she told me in a bittersweet tone, “The test indicates that you are HIV positive.” After I got the result they took six vials of blood from my arm to do a more thorough test for HIV. The next week, I returned to get the results of the blood test. The test came back “indeterminate.”
I contacted Larkin Street to inform them that I just found out that I was HIV positive. I told them about my last test being “indeterminate” and they said to take another one at their clinic. So the next week, I went down and got tested again. When the nurse came in, I told him that I just received a positive test result and then another that was “indeterminate.” He gave me two tests, the oral swab and the finger prick. The saliva came back as negative and the blood came back positive.
Immediately after receiving a confirmation, I told my boyfriend that I was in fact positive. His response was to break up with me that same day. This left me feeling brokenhearted, unloved and taken advantage of. I felt like killing myself because I was just diagnosed with HIV and all alone. Our earlier conversation at the Bar meant nothing to me now. One year later, I’m dealing with the reality of being 22 years old and HIV positive, all by myself. I have no family, no friends, no one to lean on.
The process of accepting of my status has been a long and hard road. There are times when I feel like ending my life. The stress and depression that I feel on a daily basis is overwhelming. To cope with my reality at times, I smoke marijuana, drink alcohol and pop ecstasy pills. I feel like an outcast every time I go out because I am almost always under the influence of something. I walk around with my head down so that I will not be confronted by other people. I know I can’t run from my reality but at times I attempt to hide from it. Eventually at some point the time will come for me to face my fears. But till then, I’ll just do me with the hopes of a better tomorrow.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm Mr. Maximus.
log onto www.beyondtheodds.org for more personal stories from young people living with HIV.
In 2007, when I first found out that I was HIV positive I felt so angry that my partner kept his status a secret from me. At the same time I felt hurt and sad. I could not even believe that I am positive. My Ex and I were going out for a year and we were having unprotected sex. He asked me nonchalantly if I wanted to use condoms during sex and I told him that I don’t use them. He responded, “That’s okay it’s your choice”.
At the time his comment seemed a bit strange but I paid it no mind. I did not know that he was indirectly telling me he was HIV positive. I guess I did not understand him. The night he finally decided to man up and be direct about his status was on New Year's Eve. We were in the Castro at a hangout spot called The Bar. I had just finished drinking my second Long Island Iced Tea when he told me he had something important to tell me. I said, “What is it?” He said, “I’m HIV positive”. It hit me like a fist to my face, knocking the breath out of me. I was ripped out of my drunken state of mind and instantly sobered up. I sat there for a while not speaking, letting the news to set in before I said anything. Eventually, I said “I am not mad at you for not telling me, but at some point it would have been nice to have been told. I am not going to dump you, but you are going to stick by my side all the way through.”
Every three months for about a year, I would go to the Larkin Street Medical clinic to get tested for HIV. In the testing room, I would sit in a chair sweating and waiting for the test results. To my surprise my test result always came back negative for HIV. Then one month, my lymph nodes started to swell, and then my boyfriend suggested I head back to the clinic for another test. This time, I decided to go somewhere new to get tested expecting the usual results of negative. However, this time when the nurse returned with the results she told me in a bittersweet tone, “The test indicates that you are HIV positive.” After I got the result they took six vials of blood from my arm to do a more thorough test for HIV. The next week, I returned to get the results of the blood test. The test came back “indeterminate.”
I contacted Larkin Street to inform them that I just found out that I was HIV positive. I told them about my last test being “indeterminate” and they said to take another one at their clinic. So the next week, I went down and got tested again. When the nurse came in, I told him that I just received a positive test result and then another that was “indeterminate.” He gave me two tests, the oral swab and the finger prick. The saliva came back as negative and the blood came back positive.
Immediately after receiving a confirmation, I told my boyfriend that I was in fact positive. His response was to break up with me that same day. This left me feeling brokenhearted, unloved and taken advantage of. I felt like killing myself because I was just diagnosed with HIV and all alone. Our earlier conversation at the Bar meant nothing to me now. One year later, I’m dealing with the reality of being 22 years old and HIV positive, all by myself. I have no family, no friends, no one to lean on.
The process of accepting of my status has been a long and hard road. There are times when I feel like ending my life. The stress and depression that I feel on a daily basis is overwhelming. To cope with my reality at times, I smoke marijuana, drink alcohol and pop ecstasy pills. I feel like an outcast every time I go out because I am almost always under the influence of something. I walk around with my head down so that I will not be confronted by other people. I know I can’t run from my reality but at times I attempt to hide from it. Eventually at some point the time will come for me to face my fears. But till then, I’ll just do me with the hopes of a better tomorrow.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm Mr. Maximus.
log onto www.beyondtheodds.org for more personal stories from young people living with HIV.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
More than Sex
Have you seen our new site? www.beyondtheodds.org Or watched our latest video www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCZbLWn4_O0
here's one of blogs written by JoJo Napoles.
Today I would like to talk about something that happened to me.
First of all, I don't consider myself the type of guy that goes online to look for sex, but something happened that one night in particular that made me do it. I was feeling kind of sad and disappointed that day and I wanted somebody to make me feel better.
I decided to go on Craigslist and I saw an ad for a “straight” guy; at least that's what he wrote there. He was very cute, Middle Eastern looking, between 25 and 30 years old, and seemed like a nice guy. So I emailed him and we agreed to meet at the marina near to my place. I was nervous, but exited excited at the same time.
I got there first. He approached five minutes later. We said hello to each other and smiled as if we had known each other for a long time. I felt very comfortable with him and he told me he felt the same. I was glad to have meet someone who I really liked. He was so nice.
We took my car to a shopping center and then he drove us to his place in the hills. While traveling there we talked about our lives. I asked him why a straight guy would go onto a website for gay people looking to hookup. He said “that's was a good question.” He considers himself straight, is even engaged to be married! But on that particular night he was really horny and wanted to be with a dude.
We liked each other and we enjoyed our time together. My sadness even went away. Driving
to his place took 20 minutes. Before we entered his home he told me that he needed to head upstairs first and turn off the lights in the house because his neighbor was nosy. I waited downstairs for a few minutes and headed upstairs. He waited in his room.
We kissed and I was felt like I was in heaven – crazy, but really good at the same. We went to his room and began kissing and touching. Then, we started talking again. He asked me if I was honest and I started feeling kind of weird. I said, “Yes, pretty honest.” I was scared. I wanted to tell him that I had HIV, but was waiting for the right moment. Even though we planned to have safe sex I think it is very important to tell the person you're having sex with your status. I know it's hard but it works for me, it makes me feel very good to be that honest.
I had to say it so I just came out and told him: “There's something I want you to know about me that I think it is very important.” He stared at me and he said, "You have HIV?!" I said, “Yes.” I felt bad and at the same time relieved. His reaction was my main concern, and I was amazed when he said he wasn't mad at me. I felt like I had wasted his time, but he actually made me feel good. He said that he made a promise long time ago, that he would never have sex with someone who is HIV positive. At first it felt weird, but I think that the reason we had gotten together that night was bigger than just having sex.
I told him not to trust people and to always use a condom, because there are people that say they are disease-free but it is not true. These are the same people who keep having unprotected sex with people and spreading it the disease. Anyway, he said we couldn't hookup because he had made a promise to keep his future family safe from disease. I agreed.
We kissed and hugged and he took me back to get my car. He told me on the way back that he saw sorrow coming out of my eyes. That really shocked me because to me it meant he and I both connected. I believe that this night, I wasn't looking for sex; but instead a strong connection with someone.
We arrived back at the shopping center and said goodbye to and thanked each other. That was the last time I ever saw from him but I hope he is well. I'm very glad to have met someone like him, even if he was already taken.
It was important for me to tell him to always protect himself because I never got the same opportunity. If I had been aware of every one of my partners’ status I may never have contracted the disease. I want my story to help inform other people about the conversations they should be having with all of their sexual partners. Most importantly, I want people to always practice safe sex, especially if they are unaware of their partner’s status.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm JoJo Naploes.
here's one of blogs written by JoJo Napoles.
Today I would like to talk about something that happened to me.
First of all, I don't consider myself the type of guy that goes online to look for sex, but something happened that one night in particular that made me do it. I was feeling kind of sad and disappointed that day and I wanted somebody to make me feel better.
I decided to go on Craigslist and I saw an ad for a “straight” guy; at least that's what he wrote there. He was very cute, Middle Eastern looking, between 25 and 30 years old, and seemed like a nice guy. So I emailed him and we agreed to meet at the marina near to my place. I was nervous, but exited excited at the same time.
I got there first. He approached five minutes later. We said hello to each other and smiled as if we had known each other for a long time. I felt very comfortable with him and he told me he felt the same. I was glad to have meet someone who I really liked. He was so nice.
We took my car to a shopping center and then he drove us to his place in the hills. While traveling there we talked about our lives. I asked him why a straight guy would go onto a website for gay people looking to hookup. He said “that's was a good question.” He considers himself straight, is even engaged to be married! But on that particular night he was really horny and wanted to be with a dude.
We liked each other and we enjoyed our time together. My sadness even went away. Driving
to his place took 20 minutes. Before we entered his home he told me that he needed to head upstairs first and turn off the lights in the house because his neighbor was nosy. I waited downstairs for a few minutes and headed upstairs. He waited in his room.
We kissed and I was felt like I was in heaven – crazy, but really good at the same. We went to his room and began kissing and touching. Then, we started talking again. He asked me if I was honest and I started feeling kind of weird. I said, “Yes, pretty honest.” I was scared. I wanted to tell him that I had HIV, but was waiting for the right moment. Even though we planned to have safe sex I think it is very important to tell the person you're having sex with your status. I know it's hard but it works for me, it makes me feel very good to be that honest.
I had to say it so I just came out and told him: “There's something I want you to know about me that I think it is very important.” He stared at me and he said, "You have HIV?!" I said, “Yes.” I felt bad and at the same time relieved. His reaction was my main concern, and I was amazed when he said he wasn't mad at me. I felt like I had wasted his time, but he actually made me feel good. He said that he made a promise long time ago, that he would never have sex with someone who is HIV positive. At first it felt weird, but I think that the reason we had gotten together that night was bigger than just having sex.
I told him not to trust people and to always use a condom, because there are people that say they are disease-free but it is not true. These are the same people who keep having unprotected sex with people and spreading it the disease. Anyway, he said we couldn't hookup because he had made a promise to keep his future family safe from disease. I agreed.
We kissed and hugged and he took me back to get my car. He told me on the way back that he saw sorrow coming out of my eyes. That really shocked me because to me it meant he and I both connected. I believe that this night, I wasn't looking for sex; but instead a strong connection with someone.
We arrived back at the shopping center and said goodbye to and thanked each other. That was the last time I ever saw from him but I hope he is well. I'm very glad to have met someone like him, even if he was already taken.
It was important for me to tell him to always protect himself because I never got the same opportunity. If I had been aware of every one of my partners’ status I may never have contracted the disease. I want my story to help inform other people about the conversations they should be having with all of their sexual partners. Most importantly, I want people to always practice safe sex, especially if they are unaware of their partner’s status.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm JoJo Naploes.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Last Two Weeks
Well,
we are less than 2 weeks away from our project finale! It's been an interesting journey. I've learned a lot along the way! Beyond the Odds has been a blessing and the many young people I've worked with are amazing! I wish them the best and excellent health. My hope is that we are able to continue the project in some capacity. Especially since each youth has expressed the need to do so. I was told it's like opening a can of worms and being told you can't go fishing any more, lol. Wow, I will really miss them. As difficult at times the project may have been there was more good than bad. Yes, for the past 3 months, I've had very little sleep. My back hurts, my skin is horrible but my spirit is good.
So for these last two weeks, I'm asking for folks to help get the word out about the project. Really, it only a week left....so, we don't have much time. Tell a friend t become a face fan, follow us on twitter and check out the new site. Remember Beyond the Odds rocks.
we are less than 2 weeks away from our project finale! It's been an interesting journey. I've learned a lot along the way! Beyond the Odds has been a blessing and the many young people I've worked with are amazing! I wish them the best and excellent health. My hope is that we are able to continue the project in some capacity. Especially since each youth has expressed the need to do so. I was told it's like opening a can of worms and being told you can't go fishing any more, lol. Wow, I will really miss them. As difficult at times the project may have been there was more good than bad. Yes, for the past 3 months, I've had very little sleep. My back hurts, my skin is horrible but my spirit is good.
So for these last two weeks, I'm asking for folks to help get the word out about the project. Really, it only a week left....so, we don't have much time. Tell a friend t become a face fan, follow us on twitter and check out the new site. Remember Beyond the Odds rocks.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Toxicity
Hey folks,
Here's one of our latest blogs. Read more blogs @ www.beyondtheodds.org
Sleeping away on a mid-summer’s night alone in my bedroom with the window opened up halfway, I lay there in a dream state. Dreaming of a life other than my own I explore this other world with such vividness it's almost like I've gone into realm of my life in another dimension. I toss and I turn as I find myself walking through a dark alley with sounds of someone’s unusual footsteps getting closer and closer. I can't see anything but I have the sense that I am being stalked as I walk alone in an industrial warehouse not even knowing where I am going or why I am there. I suddenly fall into a vortex of darkness and start screaming and falling with a fear so strong I feel my body go into a complete state of paralysis.
I am awakened, gasping for air, in a cold sweat followed by a sense of hopelessness. "It was just a dream", I say to my myself. Overcome by extreme thirst and body heat, I reach for a drink of water sitting in a glass next to my bed. I drink it as if I was dying of thirst. I then sit there and stare at the ceiling trying to comfort myself as I feel my heartbeat from within. I sit on my bed and think, “Why me? Why must I go through this? Why must I take medication for HIV that makes me go through this?. Some nights I fall right back asleep. Others, there is no sleep. I take Atripla, the once a day pill used for the treatment of HIV infection. And while the single pill I take every night around ten has greatly improved my health, I've traded in the serenity of a nice evening’s rest for nights of anxiety, despair, cold sweats and insomnia only for the chance at a normal life span.
I was diagnosed with HIV in mid December 2008 and was placed on HAART (highly active
antiretroviral therapy) drugs shortly after getting situated with a primary health care provider. I started taking Atripla February 18th, 2009. The first two months were crazy! I felt so bad all the time plagued by extreme fatigue and a lot of stress. My morale was in the toilet. The regimen, honestly, is a constant reminder of my status as a 25 year-old HIV positive male. For me it’s a daily reminder of this invader in my body; a burden that will never ever go away. Twenty-five years old and I am on medication for AIDS -- it's still really hard to come to terms with that truth.
Yet, as time has progressed the side effects have greatly subsided. I am able to have a normal day relatively symptom-free in exchange for nights of elevated body temperatures, extreme thirst, mood swings and unusual dreams. I think now more than ever it's the physiological impact of taking meds that is the hardest thing for me to cope with. I try and maintain perfect adherence, but hey I am not living in a perfect world and I am not living exactly what I would consider a perfect life. So, I really don't beat myself up for not following doctor's orders, even though I know the consequences of my actions can be life threatening.
That is my reality of having HIV. While the regimens have vastly improved the prognosis of HIV/AIDS to those who are live with this affliction, taking meds is no sweet ride. I am at a point in my life where I really have to make some life-altering decisions. I recently got the news that my liver was sending a warning sign that something may be wrong when recent blood work that came back from the lab showed that I had an elevated level of an enzyme known as Alkaline Phosphatase. My doctors advised me to stop drinking because of the threat of liver damage shown in my blood work. He said, “taking anti-retro viral medication and drinking alcohol at the same time is like dumping gasoline on a fire". Great, I thought to myself. My social life is over! It's already bad enough I have to deal with HIV and now this! But the reality is if I don't limit or completely stop my binge drinking, I am setting myself up for liver damage, cirrhosis or even kidney failure. And it all comes back to the pill I must take every single night in order to have a chance at a somewhat normal life.
So for me at this point it’s one day at a time. Some days are better than others, while the nights
usually are pretty much the same. I've learned how amazing and tolerable the human body can be to suffering. Even though I take medication to suppress HIV and prevent it from ravaging my immune system, in the end I still suffer. From within my soul, I still mourn the shock and fear of having HIV and what life for me will be from here on out. Yet this amazing piece of machinery I call my body miraculously pulls through every single night. What's the purpose of life if I have to live like this? I am not sure, but I know as long as I am on HAART treatment that I will have the time and chance to figure it out and find my purpose in this not so perfect life of mine.
For Beyond the Odds, I am Sergio Mendoza.
Read more blogs @ www.beyondtheodds.org
Here's one of our latest blogs. Read more blogs @ www.beyondtheodds.org
Sleeping away on a mid-summer’s night alone in my bedroom with the window opened up halfway, I lay there in a dream state. Dreaming of a life other than my own I explore this other world with such vividness it's almost like I've gone into realm of my life in another dimension. I toss and I turn as I find myself walking through a dark alley with sounds of someone’s unusual footsteps getting closer and closer. I can't see anything but I have the sense that I am being stalked as I walk alone in an industrial warehouse not even knowing where I am going or why I am there. I suddenly fall into a vortex of darkness and start screaming and falling with a fear so strong I feel my body go into a complete state of paralysis.
I am awakened, gasping for air, in a cold sweat followed by a sense of hopelessness. "It was just a dream", I say to my myself. Overcome by extreme thirst and body heat, I reach for a drink of water sitting in a glass next to my bed. I drink it as if I was dying of thirst. I then sit there and stare at the ceiling trying to comfort myself as I feel my heartbeat from within. I sit on my bed and think, “Why me? Why must I go through this? Why must I take medication for HIV that makes me go through this?. Some nights I fall right back asleep. Others, there is no sleep. I take Atripla, the once a day pill used for the treatment of HIV infection. And while the single pill I take every night around ten has greatly improved my health, I've traded in the serenity of a nice evening’s rest for nights of anxiety, despair, cold sweats and insomnia only for the chance at a normal life span.
I was diagnosed with HIV in mid December 2008 and was placed on HAART (highly active
antiretroviral therapy) drugs shortly after getting situated with a primary health care provider. I started taking Atripla February 18th, 2009. The first two months were crazy! I felt so bad all the time plagued by extreme fatigue and a lot of stress. My morale was in the toilet. The regimen, honestly, is a constant reminder of my status as a 25 year-old HIV positive male. For me it’s a daily reminder of this invader in my body; a burden that will never ever go away. Twenty-five years old and I am on medication for AIDS -- it's still really hard to come to terms with that truth.
Yet, as time has progressed the side effects have greatly subsided. I am able to have a normal day relatively symptom-free in exchange for nights of elevated body temperatures, extreme thirst, mood swings and unusual dreams. I think now more than ever it's the physiological impact of taking meds that is the hardest thing for me to cope with. I try and maintain perfect adherence, but hey I am not living in a perfect world and I am not living exactly what I would consider a perfect life. So, I really don't beat myself up for not following doctor's orders, even though I know the consequences of my actions can be life threatening.
That is my reality of having HIV. While the regimens have vastly improved the prognosis of HIV/AIDS to those who are live with this affliction, taking meds is no sweet ride. I am at a point in my life where I really have to make some life-altering decisions. I recently got the news that my liver was sending a warning sign that something may be wrong when recent blood work that came back from the lab showed that I had an elevated level of an enzyme known as Alkaline Phosphatase. My doctors advised me to stop drinking because of the threat of liver damage shown in my blood work. He said, “taking anti-retro viral medication and drinking alcohol at the same time is like dumping gasoline on a fire". Great, I thought to myself. My social life is over! It's already bad enough I have to deal with HIV and now this! But the reality is if I don't limit or completely stop my binge drinking, I am setting myself up for liver damage, cirrhosis or even kidney failure. And it all comes back to the pill I must take every single night in order to have a chance at a somewhat normal life.
So for me at this point it’s one day at a time. Some days are better than others, while the nights
usually are pretty much the same. I've learned how amazing and tolerable the human body can be to suffering. Even though I take medication to suppress HIV and prevent it from ravaging my immune system, in the end I still suffer. From within my soul, I still mourn the shock and fear of having HIV and what life for me will be from here on out. Yet this amazing piece of machinery I call my body miraculously pulls through every single night. What's the purpose of life if I have to live like this? I am not sure, but I know as long as I am on HAART treatment that I will have the time and chance to figure it out and find my purpose in this not so perfect life of mine.
For Beyond the Odds, I am Sergio Mendoza.
Read more blogs @ www.beyondtheodds.org
Saturday, August 1, 2009
My Diagnosis, My Words
Hey folks! Here's a recent post from B-Lady, a youth participant of Beyond the Odds. Check out the site at www.beyondtheodds.org Site relaunch date is set for August 10th!!
In January 2006, I was standing in front of my grandmother’s house by Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. It was like 10:30am. I was waiting on my best friend to come thru so I could “line him up.” This really dark skinned, southern brotha named “Bob” on the back of the 40 bus was looking all out the window. He got off the bus and walked up to me and said, “Hi.”
I was like, “Hey.” but I was on guard waiting in case I had to get real ugly.
We talked for a really long time until my best friend showed up. Quickly, we exchanged numbers and parted ways. My best friend didn’t question the situation until we went into the house. Considering that I don’t usually fool around with dark skinned men. I laughed and said, “Life is experiences.”
Two days after our first meeting, we were on the phone for hecka long at least
five hours. That's when I was like, “Well I should come over to your place. Let me get my son dressed and I'll be on my way.”
Once I got to his place, we started drinking some Patron Tequila and Seagram Schnapps and got drunk. I guess I became an easy lay as some would say. I was eighteen and didn’t know my alcohol limits.
I don’t remember much, but what I do remember is we had sex and I heard the condom break in my drunken stupor. I figured it was a gun shot in the distance, outside. It wasn't ‘til after that we discovered it had busted. But by then it was too late.
The following months were crazy. In March, I became pregnant by this person and I ended up having a miscarriage. It was not a happy time for me. In my opinion, going through a miscarriage is the worst mental state for a woman to be in. And when I told him, his response was, “that’s too bad” and offered me some candy. In May, he started telling me he had to go back home to Mississippi to be with his mother because we started coming down with the same symptoms. That's when I started
becoming really suspicious of the situation.
In June, we broke off our very unhappy courtship and I ended up very sick with the worst flu like symptoms ever and a growth on my groin stretching through to my thigh and abdominal area. Heck, I couldn’t even walk after a while. Soon, thereafter, I went to the Summit Hospital emergency room. The hospital staff explained that I contracted MRSA and could have died had I waited any longer.
In a few days of being at the hospital, I was operated on and soon after I started to walk again. I saw “Bob” on the fourth floor hospital smoking area and when I questioned whether the drug Norvir was a known HIV drug, he simply stated to me “I didn’t ask, if he was HIV positive.”
After I got out of the hospital, I ended up going back a few more times. Eventually, a nurse told me to go and get myself checked. The nurse had been my nurse every time I came to the hospital. She was a very nice person.
I took her advice. November 27th it was a rainy day I wore black and I don’t remember sleeping. I do remember, distinctly, when a white lady named Kate handed me the paper. She just slid it across the table and looked away as I read the results.
I felt like a hot egg had been cracked over my head and the hot contents were running down my body. I began laughing and then the tears came. I went numb. My mind was blank and I felt as if I was detached from my body like a third party. When I snapped out of it, I called my mom, she came, and we cried together. That’s when the white lady spoke and said that I needed to get more blood work and start my medical services.
But my stepdad, my mother's first husband who was more like my real father, was also HIV positive. So we already knew what to do. I remember wanting to just die. Wanting to walk in front of a bus, jump off the bridge or fall out and die, which by the way is a very normal way to feel after hearing this type of news. Of course, it isn't okay when you start trying to act on it. That's when you should seek help.
So far, I've come to terms with this illness. I'm not happy, but I have to deal with it. I have my son to live for as well as my little brothers and myself. Now that I know I can have children without passing the virus, I have a beautiful baby and yet another one on the way. So I discovered life was just beginning for me in a way.
Even though, I would like to be present when Satan skins “Bob” and sticks pineapples in his ass, I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change anything because it’s the messed up part of my past that defines my strong will today. I was on a destructive path and now, I have to have the will to strive. To live. It's strange but true.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm B-Lady.
www.beyondtheodds.org
In January 2006, I was standing in front of my grandmother’s house by Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. It was like 10:30am. I was waiting on my best friend to come thru so I could “line him up.” This really dark skinned, southern brotha named “Bob” on the back of the 40 bus was looking all out the window. He got off the bus and walked up to me and said, “Hi.”
I was like, “Hey.” but I was on guard waiting in case I had to get real ugly.
We talked for a really long time until my best friend showed up. Quickly, we exchanged numbers and parted ways. My best friend didn’t question the situation until we went into the house. Considering that I don’t usually fool around with dark skinned men. I laughed and said, “Life is experiences.”
Two days after our first meeting, we were on the phone for hecka long at least
five hours. That's when I was like, “Well I should come over to your place. Let me get my son dressed and I'll be on my way.”
Once I got to his place, we started drinking some Patron Tequila and Seagram Schnapps and got drunk. I guess I became an easy lay as some would say. I was eighteen and didn’t know my alcohol limits.
I don’t remember much, but what I do remember is we had sex and I heard the condom break in my drunken stupor. I figured it was a gun shot in the distance, outside. It wasn't ‘til after that we discovered it had busted. But by then it was too late.
The following months were crazy. In March, I became pregnant by this person and I ended up having a miscarriage. It was not a happy time for me. In my opinion, going through a miscarriage is the worst mental state for a woman to be in. And when I told him, his response was, “that’s too bad” and offered me some candy. In May, he started telling me he had to go back home to Mississippi to be with his mother because we started coming down with the same symptoms. That's when I started
becoming really suspicious of the situation.
In June, we broke off our very unhappy courtship and I ended up very sick with the worst flu like symptoms ever and a growth on my groin stretching through to my thigh and abdominal area. Heck, I couldn’t even walk after a while. Soon, thereafter, I went to the Summit Hospital emergency room. The hospital staff explained that I contracted MRSA and could have died had I waited any longer.
In a few days of being at the hospital, I was operated on and soon after I started to walk again. I saw “Bob” on the fourth floor hospital smoking area and when I questioned whether the drug Norvir was a known HIV drug, he simply stated to me “I didn’t ask, if he was HIV positive.”
After I got out of the hospital, I ended up going back a few more times. Eventually, a nurse told me to go and get myself checked. The nurse had been my nurse every time I came to the hospital. She was a very nice person.
I took her advice. November 27th it was a rainy day I wore black and I don’t remember sleeping. I do remember, distinctly, when a white lady named Kate handed me the paper. She just slid it across the table and looked away as I read the results.
I felt like a hot egg had been cracked over my head and the hot contents were running down my body. I began laughing and then the tears came. I went numb. My mind was blank and I felt as if I was detached from my body like a third party. When I snapped out of it, I called my mom, she came, and we cried together. That’s when the white lady spoke and said that I needed to get more blood work and start my medical services.
But my stepdad, my mother's first husband who was more like my real father, was also HIV positive. So we already knew what to do. I remember wanting to just die. Wanting to walk in front of a bus, jump off the bridge or fall out and die, which by the way is a very normal way to feel after hearing this type of news. Of course, it isn't okay when you start trying to act on it. That's when you should seek help.
So far, I've come to terms with this illness. I'm not happy, but I have to deal with it. I have my son to live for as well as my little brothers and myself. Now that I know I can have children without passing the virus, I have a beautiful baby and yet another one on the way. So I discovered life was just beginning for me in a way.
Even though, I would like to be present when Satan skins “Bob” and sticks pineapples in his ass, I have no regrets. I wouldn’t change anything because it’s the messed up part of my past that defines my strong will today. I was on a destructive path and now, I have to have the will to strive. To live. It's strange but true.
For Beyond the Odds, I'm B-Lady.
www.beyondtheodds.org
Saturday, July 25, 2009
An American Tragedy
Here's an interesting article on HIV/AIDS in the African American community. Check it out!
New data show the terrible toll that HIV/AIDS is taking among African Americans.
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Discussion Policy CLOSE Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging» Links to this article
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
DR. JEFFREY CROWLEY, director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, has been tasked by President Obama with developing a national AIDS strategy within the next year. It's long overdue and desperately needed. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide the starkest evidence yet that an American tragedy is underway.
While HIV/AIDS is an indiscriminate killer that cuts through every socioeconomic group in the United States, statistics from 2006, the latest available, show that the epidemic with no cure is devastating the African American community. Although blacks make up just 12 percent of the population, they account for 46 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS. There are now an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections annually, 45 percent of them by African Americans.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic, with about 30,000 becoming HIV-positive each year. But young black men are hardest hit. "Young black MSM aged 13-29 . . . account for more new HIV infections than any other age or racial group of MSM," said Kevin Fenton, head of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention at the CDC. "Among MSM overall, there were more new HIV infections in young black MSM aged 13-29 than any other age or racial group of MSM."
As we learned earlier this year, the story in the District is no less grim. A report from the city's HIV/AIDS Administration revealed that African Americans account for 76 percent of the cases here. In total, 4.3 percent of the black population in the District is living with the disease, as are 6.5 percent of all black men.
These numbers should shock the conscience -- and spur action. The national strategy being crafted for the president must include efforts to destigmatize the disease and to get people tested and into treatment. HIV testing must become a routine part of medical care (akin to testing for diabetes, for instance). Work with African American civic organizations to stress the importance of testing and treatment must be accelerated. But none of this will work if all people from all ages and backgrounds don't know or refuse to learn their HIV status. This head-in-the-sand mentality cannot continue. Mr. Obama is leading by example. To mark HIV testing day last month, the White House released video that showed the Obamas getting tested during a 2006 visit to Kenya. In the District, free testing is available. Go to http://www.doh.dc.gov/hiv to find out how to follow the president's lead.
New data show the terrible toll that HIV/AIDS is taking among African Americans.
Your browser's settings may be preventing you from commenting on and viewing comments about this item. See instructions for fixing the problem.
Discussion Policy CLOSE Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging» Links to this article
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
DR. JEFFREY CROWLEY, director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, has been tasked by President Obama with developing a national AIDS strategy within the next year. It's long overdue and desperately needed. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide the starkest evidence yet that an American tragedy is underway.
While HIV/AIDS is an indiscriminate killer that cuts through every socioeconomic group in the United States, statistics from 2006, the latest available, show that the epidemic with no cure is devastating the African American community. Although blacks make up just 12 percent of the population, they account for 46 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS. There are now an estimated 56,300 new HIV infections annually, 45 percent of them by African Americans.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic, with about 30,000 becoming HIV-positive each year. But young black men are hardest hit. "Young black MSM aged 13-29 . . . account for more new HIV infections than any other age or racial group of MSM," said Kevin Fenton, head of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention at the CDC. "Among MSM overall, there were more new HIV infections in young black MSM aged 13-29 than any other age or racial group of MSM."
As we learned earlier this year, the story in the District is no less grim. A report from the city's HIV/AIDS Administration revealed that African Americans account for 76 percent of the cases here. In total, 4.3 percent of the black population in the District is living with the disease, as are 6.5 percent of all black men.
These numbers should shock the conscience -- and spur action. The national strategy being crafted for the president must include efforts to destigmatize the disease and to get people tested and into treatment. HIV testing must become a routine part of medical care (akin to testing for diabetes, for instance). Work with African American civic organizations to stress the importance of testing and treatment must be accelerated. But none of this will work if all people from all ages and backgrounds don't know or refuse to learn their HIV status. This head-in-the-sand mentality cannot continue. Mr. Obama is leading by example. To mark HIV testing day last month, the White House released video that showed the Obamas getting tested during a 2006 visit to Kenya. In the District, free testing is available. Go to http://www.doh.dc.gov/hiv to find out how to follow the president's lead.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Teens Who Think They'll Die Young Take More Risks
June 29, 2009 05:37 PM ET | Nancy Shute
Teenagers tend to wildly overestimate the odds of dying young, and teenagers who think they'll be dead before age 35 are far more likely to abuse drugs, attempt suicide, get arrested, or contract HIV. Scientists have known for quite a while that teenagers tend to think that an early death is much more likely than the infinitesimally small risk it really is. What's recently been discovered, and is intriguing for teens and the people who love them, is that there seems to be a connection between having a fatalistic take on life and behaving in ways that actually make it more likely that you will die—or at least be sick and miserable—instead of blossoming into a healthy young adult.
Here's the back story: When 20,745 teenagers in grades 7 to 12 were asked about their chances of living to age 35, about 15 percent of them said there was at least a fifty-fifty chance that they would not make it. In truth, the odds of dying that young are almost vanishingly small. Interestingly, it seems that death is uniquely confounding as a risk, because teenagers aren't off base when guessing their chances of other life-changing events, including getting pregnant
, becoming a parent, being a victim of violence, or being jailed.
I think most of us parents tend to worry, on the contrary, that teenagers have a grandiose sense that they are invulnerable—that teenage "myth of invulnerability." But scientists who study human behavior and risk long ago punctured that myth. Baruch Fischhoff, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University who pioneered research on risk and decision making, says that teenagers may feel more strongly than adults do that life is beyond their control.
Given that, it's not hard to see how a fatalistic teenager could decide that risky behavior just isn't worth avoiding. The new data, which came from the University of Minnesota and were published in the July Pediatrics, found that teens who anticipated an early death when first asked in 2005 were more likely to have made a suicide attempt, been injured in a fight, had unsafe sex, or been arrested a year later. They were also more likely to have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in 2001 or 2002. This correlation gives doctors a new way to screen teenagers for the likelihood of coming to harm, the Minnesota researchers say, something that is surprisingly difficult to do. Parents, teachers, and coaches could ask if a child thinks early death is likely, correct the misperception if so, and explain that, since a long life is far more likely, it makes sense to take good care of oneself now.
There's an even sadder subtext to these data: Some fatalistic teenagers were more on target than others. Minority teenagers were far more likely to predict an early death, with 29 percent of Native Americans, 26 percent of blacks, and 21 percent of Hispanics expecting to die young, compared with 10 percent of whites. The fatalistic teens were also more likely to be poor. Minorities and poor people are far more likely to have health problems than someone who is white and well off.
There's been a lot of news lately about teenagers and mental health, including a call for depression screening of all teenagers by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Teenagers do indeed see the world much differently from adults, and I'm fascinated at how the teenage brain can be amazingly powerful, while also making teenagers do really dumb things. Think you know the teen brain? Try this teen brain quiz.
http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-parenting/2009/06/29/teens-who-think-theyll-die-young-take-more-risks.html
Teenagers tend to wildly overestimate the odds of dying young, and teenagers who think they'll be dead before age 35 are far more likely to abuse drugs, attempt suicide, get arrested, or contract HIV. Scientists have known for quite a while that teenagers tend to think that an early death is much more likely than the infinitesimally small risk it really is. What's recently been discovered, and is intriguing for teens and the people who love them, is that there seems to be a connection between having a fatalistic take on life and behaving in ways that actually make it more likely that you will die—or at least be sick and miserable—instead of blossoming into a healthy young adult.
Here's the back story: When 20,745 teenagers in grades 7 to 12 were asked about their chances of living to age 35, about 15 percent of them said there was at least a fifty-fifty chance that they would not make it. In truth, the odds of dying that young are almost vanishingly small. Interestingly, it seems that death is uniquely confounding as a risk, because teenagers aren't off base when guessing their chances of other life-changing events, including getting pregnant
, becoming a parent, being a victim of violence, or being jailed.
I think most of us parents tend to worry, on the contrary, that teenagers have a grandiose sense that they are invulnerable—that teenage "myth of invulnerability." But scientists who study human behavior and risk long ago punctured that myth. Baruch Fischhoff, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University who pioneered research on risk and decision making, says that teenagers may feel more strongly than adults do that life is beyond their control.
Given that, it's not hard to see how a fatalistic teenager could decide that risky behavior just isn't worth avoiding. The new data, which came from the University of Minnesota and were published in the July Pediatrics, found that teens who anticipated an early death when first asked in 2005 were more likely to have made a suicide attempt, been injured in a fight, had unsafe sex, or been arrested a year later. They were also more likely to have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in 2001 or 2002. This correlation gives doctors a new way to screen teenagers for the likelihood of coming to harm, the Minnesota researchers say, something that is surprisingly difficult to do. Parents, teachers, and coaches could ask if a child thinks early death is likely, correct the misperception if so, and explain that, since a long life is far more likely, it makes sense to take good care of oneself now.
There's an even sadder subtext to these data: Some fatalistic teenagers were more on target than others. Minority teenagers were far more likely to predict an early death, with 29 percent of Native Americans, 26 percent of blacks, and 21 percent of Hispanics expecting to die young, compared with 10 percent of whites. The fatalistic teens were also more likely to be poor. Minorities and poor people are far more likely to have health problems than someone who is white and well off.
There's been a lot of news lately about teenagers and mental health, including a call for depression screening of all teenagers by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Teenagers do indeed see the world much differently from adults, and I'm fascinated at how the teenage brain can be amazingly powerful, while also making teenagers do really dumb things. Think you know the teen brain? Try this teen brain quiz.
http://health.usnews.com/blogs/on-parenting/2009/06/29/teens-who-think-theyll-die-young-take-more-risks.html
Saturday, July 11, 2009
by Lorna Benson, Minnesota Public Radio June 29, 2009 St. Paul, Minn. — A new study by the University of Minnesota shows that kids who believe they
St. Paul, Minn. — A new study by the University of Minnesota shows that kids who believe they are going to die young often engage in the very behavior that can lead to an early death.
That runs counter to the conventional belief that teens take risks because they see themselves as invincible.
The study says 15 percent of adolescents believe it's highly likely that they will die before age 35.
"That's more than one in seven youth in this country who look into the future, and don't see a long and winding road ahead of them," said Dr. Iris Borowsky, lead author of the U of M study.
She and her colleagues looked at survey responses from more than 20,000 youth who have been tracked since 1995 through the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
It is a nationally representative sample of students from grades seven through 12. They were first interviewed in 1995, then again in 1996 and in 2001-2002.
The data showed that adolescents who thought they had a good chance of dying earlier often engaged in the very behavior that can lead to death. They had a higher incidence of illegal drug use, suicide attempts, unprotected sex, fight-related injuries, arrests, and diagnosis of HIV or AIDS.
Borowsky says the findings reveal the vulnerability that some kids feel -- a concept that runs counter to conventional wisdom about teens.
"Historically it's been thought that teens think they are invincible, they're invulnerable. And that this feeling of personal invulnerability has been thought to play a key role in why teens engage in risky behaviors," she said.
But the survey results showed the opposite might be occurring.
"This data says that hey, maybe adolescents are taking risks because they actually feel quite vulnerable to dying early," said Borowsky. "So it really is contrary to conventional wisdom."
The perceptions about premature death were especially prevalent among youth of color and those living in poverty.
Shane Price is a community organizer in Minneapolis who works with troubled youth. He says the report's findings mirror much of what he's seen over the years in his community.
But Price says he's not hearing as much hopelessness as he once did. He says President Obama's election as the nation's first African-American president has inspired many young blacks.
"I feel this spirit of activism, this spirit of momentum in the children. And that is what I think is changing," said Price. "And that is what I think comes against some of the findings in this report, in a good way."
On the east side of St. Paul, Mitch Roldan is watching a different story unfold. Roldan is a gang prevention coordinator.
"I have seen in the African-American community, kind of a sense of hope. I would say in the Latino community it would almost be the opposite of that," said Roldan. "With the increasing anti-immigrant sentiment that there is, just more and more kids just kind of feel like they're without hope."
Roldan says when he asks at-risk teens in his community what they hope to do with their lives, more often than not he's told that they don't have any specific goals. He says that's practically unheard of among their peers elsewhere, who typically have plans for college or work.
But that doesn't mean these teens can't change the way they see their future. Researcher Iris Borowsky says there is a growing body of research that shows the benefit of creating hope among kids.
Borowsky is a pediatrician, and she says she now realizes she should ask kids more questions, and reassure them that the odds are in their favor. "What do you think the future holds for you? Do you want to go to college? What do you want to do when you grow up? How long do you think you're going to live? Do you think you're going to die early? Those are questions as that as a health care professional I need to consider asking," she said.
They are also questions Borowsky says all adults should be asking the children in their lives.
The University of Minnesota study on teen mortality perceptions is published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.
by Lorna Benson, Minnesota Public Radio
June 29, 2009
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/26/teendeaths/
That runs counter to the conventional belief that teens take risks because they see themselves as invincible.
The study says 15 percent of adolescents believe it's highly likely that they will die before age 35.
"That's more than one in seven youth in this country who look into the future, and don't see a long and winding road ahead of them," said Dr. Iris Borowsky, lead author of the U of M study.
She and her colleagues looked at survey responses from more than 20,000 youth who have been tracked since 1995 through the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
It is a nationally representative sample of students from grades seven through 12. They were first interviewed in 1995, then again in 1996 and in 2001-2002.
The data showed that adolescents who thought they had a good chance of dying earlier often engaged in the very behavior that can lead to death. They had a higher incidence of illegal drug use, suicide attempts, unprotected sex, fight-related injuries, arrests, and diagnosis of HIV or AIDS.
Borowsky says the findings reveal the vulnerability that some kids feel -- a concept that runs counter to conventional wisdom about teens.
"Historically it's been thought that teens think they are invincible, they're invulnerable. And that this feeling of personal invulnerability has been thought to play a key role in why teens engage in risky behaviors," she said.
But the survey results showed the opposite might be occurring.
"This data says that hey, maybe adolescents are taking risks because they actually feel quite vulnerable to dying early," said Borowsky. "So it really is contrary to conventional wisdom."
The perceptions about premature death were especially prevalent among youth of color and those living in poverty.
Shane Price is a community organizer in Minneapolis who works with troubled youth. He says the report's findings mirror much of what he's seen over the years in his community.
But Price says he's not hearing as much hopelessness as he once did. He says President Obama's election as the nation's first African-American president has inspired many young blacks.
"I feel this spirit of activism, this spirit of momentum in the children. And that is what I think is changing," said Price. "And that is what I think comes against some of the findings in this report, in a good way."
On the east side of St. Paul, Mitch Roldan is watching a different story unfold. Roldan is a gang prevention coordinator.
"I have seen in the African-American community, kind of a sense of hope. I would say in the Latino community it would almost be the opposite of that," said Roldan. "With the increasing anti-immigrant sentiment that there is, just more and more kids just kind of feel like they're without hope."
Roldan says when he asks at-risk teens in his community what they hope to do with their lives, more often than not he's told that they don't have any specific goals. He says that's practically unheard of among their peers elsewhere, who typically have plans for college or work.
But that doesn't mean these teens can't change the way they see their future. Researcher Iris Borowsky says there is a growing body of research that shows the benefit of creating hope among kids.
Borowsky is a pediatrician, and she says she now realizes she should ask kids more questions, and reassure them that the odds are in their favor. "What do you think the future holds for you? Do you want to go to college? What do you want to do when you grow up? How long do you think you're going to live? Do you think you're going to die early? Those are questions as that as a health care professional I need to consider asking," she said.
They are also questions Borowsky says all adults should be asking the children in their lives.
The University of Minnesota study on teen mortality perceptions is published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.
by Lorna Benson, Minnesota Public Radio
June 29, 2009
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/06/26/teendeaths/
Young, HIV-Positive, and Unaware Many Teens and Young Adults With HIV Don’t Know They Have the Disease, CDC Says
June 26, 2009 -- About 50,000 adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 were living with the virus that causes AIDS in 2006, but nearly half of them didn't know they were HIV infected, according to the CDC.
The CDC says in its June 26 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that young adults represented 4.4% of the 1.1 million people living with the human immunodeficiency virus in 2006.
That would amount to 48,400 young people with HIV.
The CDC says that 232,700 people in the U.S. were living with HIV that year and didn't know it. Adolescents and young adults represented 9.9% of that number, or some 23,000 youths.
Early diagnosis of HIV infection is critical because detection speeds up medical intervention and informs people with the virus to reduce high-risk behaviors that could spread infections, the CDC says.
The CDC says it used adolescent data from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
The results indicated that nationwide 12.9% of all high school students had been tested for HIV at some point in their lives.
The prevalence rate of HIV testing increased with grade and age.
Prevalence of HIV testing decreased with older age of first sexual intercourse experience, the report says.
Among female students, 14.8% had been tested for HIV, compared to 11.1% of males. The prevalence rate also was higher among non-Hispanic black students at 22.4% than for non-Hispanic whites at 10.7%.
The CDC recommends routine HIV screening for all people 13-64 years old to decrease the number of undiagnosed infections and the spread of new infections.
"HIV testing among sexually active adolescents is an important strategy to reduce the incidence of HIV infection," the CDC says. "Because adolescents might be sexually active but unwilling to discuss this information, health care providers should provide HIV screening routinely to all patients aged 13 and older."
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey estimates the prevalence of health risk behaviors among high school students. The 2007 national survey examined data from more than 14,000 anonymous questionnaires completed by public and private high school students in the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20090626/young-hiv-positive-and-unaware
The CDC says in its June 26 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that young adults represented 4.4% of the 1.1 million people living with the human immunodeficiency virus in 2006.
That would amount to 48,400 young people with HIV.
The CDC says that 232,700 people in the U.S. were living with HIV that year and didn't know it. Adolescents and young adults represented 9.9% of that number, or some 23,000 youths.
Early diagnosis of HIV infection is critical because detection speeds up medical intervention and informs people with the virus to reduce high-risk behaviors that could spread infections, the CDC says.
The CDC says it used adolescent data from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
The results indicated that nationwide 12.9% of all high school students had been tested for HIV at some point in their lives.
The prevalence rate of HIV testing increased with grade and age.
Prevalence of HIV testing decreased with older age of first sexual intercourse experience, the report says.
Among female students, 14.8% had been tested for HIV, compared to 11.1% of males. The prevalence rate also was higher among non-Hispanic black students at 22.4% than for non-Hispanic whites at 10.7%.
The CDC recommends routine HIV screening for all people 13-64 years old to decrease the number of undiagnosed infections and the spread of new infections.
"HIV testing among sexually active adolescents is an important strategy to reduce the incidence of HIV infection," the CDC says. "Because adolescents might be sexually active but unwilling to discuss this information, health care providers should provide HIV screening routinely to all patients aged 13 and older."
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey estimates the prevalence of health risk behaviors among high school students. The 2007 national survey examined data from more than 14,000 anonymous questionnaires completed by public and private high school students in the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/news/20090626/young-hiv-positive-and-unaware
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Beyond the Odds Bloggers
Meet the youth writers for Beyond the ODDS. Soon, you'll be able to read their blog posts at Beyond the Odds.org. Launch date is set for June 25th, 2009!!!
Originally from Habana Cuba, Jojo Napoles is an amazing 24 years-old, based in Berkeley, California. His writings focus on HIV, drugs, and some other random stuff. Jojo is a graduate of Miami Senior High School in Florida. His loves include aviation, video games, movies and cool people. He was diagnosed with having AIDS in April 2006.
A West Oakland native, B-LADY is a 22 year-old African American mother of 3 beautiful children. She was diagnosed with having HIV in 2006. She's extremely optimistic and focused on living her life to the fullest. Her writings focus on the realities of HIV, motherhood, and youth culture.
Casey B is a 24 year-old, San Francisco based blogger. His current focus includes re-entering college and living life to the fullest. His writings focus on HIV, and youth culture. His work has been published by YO Outlook. He was diagnosed with having HIV in 2008.
John Ramirez is an optimistic 24 year-old from Oakland California. John is a staff writer for Beyond the Odds. He was diagnosed with having HIV in December of 2008.
Originally from Habana Cuba, Jojo Napoles is an amazing 24 years-old, based in Berkeley, California. His writings focus on HIV, drugs, and some other random stuff. Jojo is a graduate of Miami Senior High School in Florida. His loves include aviation, video games, movies and cool people. He was diagnosed with having AIDS in April 2006.
A West Oakland native, B-LADY is a 22 year-old African American mother of 3 beautiful children. She was diagnosed with having HIV in 2006. She's extremely optimistic and focused on living her life to the fullest. Her writings focus on the realities of HIV, motherhood, and youth culture.
Casey B is a 24 year-old, San Francisco based blogger. His current focus includes re-entering college and living life to the fullest. His writings focus on HIV, and youth culture. His work has been published by YO Outlook. He was diagnosed with having HIV in 2008.
John Ramirez is an optimistic 24 year-old from Oakland California. John is a staff writer for Beyond the Odds. He was diagnosed with having HIV in December of 2008.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
It's Time to Get Real-sponsible about HIV/AIDS
About 4 years ago, a close friend of mine told me that he contracted HIV. I still remember sitting on the couch, staring into his face as tears poured from both our eyes. Immediately, I was forcibly shocked into dealing with the “HIV reality” a subject matter I felt absolved from ever having to deal with directly. Sure, I had the occasional HIV test, but there wasn't a reason to be really concerned about my status. Well, there was this one time when I knew my “monogamously challenged” boyfriend was dipping out on me. We hadn't always practiced safe sex. So that probably was the only time, I was truly concerned about the possibility of contracting HIV.
Sadly, it wasn't till my close friend notified me of his status that I found myself becoming more knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and its impact on the African American. I was alarmed to discover that AIDS has quietly become one the leading causes of death for Blacks and Latinos in the United States. And although, it is an epidemic in our communities, we have yet to fully commit ourselves to aggressively addressing the epidemic...maybe due to HIV/AIDS fatigue or lack of leadership? I'm not sure but what I do know is that we can't wait any longer because AIDS is killing us. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans make up approximately 13% of the US population, but in 2005 they accounted for 49% percent of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed.
I was completely shocked and outraged? Are you?
Among youth, while only 15% of teens (ages 13-19) are African American, they accounted for 73% of the new AIDS cases reported in 2004. Comparably shocking HIV and AIDS is the leading cause of death for African American women between the ages of 25 and 34.
http://www.cdc.gov/
Where's Black leadership on this issue? Where's the Black Church?
The failure of African American leadership to address the AIDS epidemic which disproportionately impacts African people more than any other ethnic group in the United States is a moral travesty and socially irresponsible. Is it enough to be outraged only by the United States government's delayed response to a national health epidemic but not our own so-called leadership?
Do you mean to tell me that African American leadership is more willing to challenge our society's use of the “N” and not the HIV and AIDS epidemic? I'm sorry there are no passes being handed out today, tonight and whenever! The “N” word “AIN'T” killing people nor is it creating a biological underclass of individuals dependent upon anti-viral medication for the duration of their life on earth. Come on now.
Frankly, “our” leaderships inability to address homophobia, sexual safety, and patriarchy is a primary reason AIDS continues to impact Black folks disproportionately. Long standing homophobic attitudes in the Black community and church prohibit Black folks from getting “real”-sponsible about AIDS. It's time to be honest with ourselves and our partners about our sexual choices and preferences. Promiscuous and/or bisexual Black men are not addressing how they have contributed to the way this disease is impacting Black women and devastating our community. Where's the love brothas? Black women deal with enough. Don't get me wrong, I'm mature enough to handle if a man I was dating informed me that he was bisexual or curious. Actually, I'd welcome the conversation without becoming judgmental or abruptly ending our relationship out of fear of having to compete with another man. I'd prefer for us to be honest with one another and discuss the importance of practicing sexual safety at all times for the sake of both of us.
As the epidemic continues to grow while religious forces of all color ignore AIDS and the federal government continues to champions abstinence to no avail, people are slowly dying. Black women being the most at risk group, the fact that AIDS is impacting Black women more than any other group might be one more reason, Black leadership is invisible when it comes to addressing the AIDS epidemic. There's no doubt that African American religious and political leadership is concerned about the problem of AIDS, it's the action of not doing something about it that I have the most problem with.
According to the The Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of African Americans on HIV/AIDS about half of African Americans say local schools (49%) and churches or religious leaders (54%) care 'a lot' about the problem of AIDS; by comparison, only a quarter say either actually do “a lot” (28% and 23%, respectively). The government gets lower marks: fewer African Americans say the government at any level -- local (17%), state (20%), or federal (22%) -- cares 'a lot' about AIDS; almost the same percentages as say government does 'a lot' in the fight against the disease (local: 14%; state: 17%; federal: 18%).
Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute and Chairman of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University, suggested in an interview, “ a need for more leadership within the African American community - especially from ministers and other church leaders, medical professionals, and educators to talk about an epidemic which is sixteen times more likely to strike its women and six times more likely to strike its men." Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. also asked "Why is it that we are motivated to fight racism in the workplace and the civic square, but are not equally motivated to save the lives of our brothers and sisters from this horrible disease?"
For the first time since the detection of the HIV, women account for approximately half of those affected worldwide. Today AIDS is the leading cause of death in African American women aged 25-34 and the third leading cause of death in African American men in the same age group. More than 64 percent of HIV positive infants are African American, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Driven by gender power inequities rooted in a complex design of cultural, socio-economics and politics, the feminization of HIV and AIDS has hit African American women in the United States extremely hard. Our bodies and stories are being violated and forgotten simultaneously in the face of AIDS. There has been a call for us as Black women, Black people to demand an aggressive culturally sensitive approach from the U.S. government in addressing the epidemic now. An equally aggressive approach that would rival our governments attempts in the early 80's, when it was viewed as predominately impacting white males. Hillary Clinton once stated while on the presidential election campaign of 2007, “If HIV-AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four, there would be an outraged outcry in this country.” Black women must begin to consistently initiate dialogue about our sexuality in a manner that challenges patriarchy and racism in America. We must first educate ourselves then our men, our daughters, and our sons. If we do the math the numbers don't lie, and our silence has allowed this disease to take a toll on our health and spirits. My mother always says, “a closed mouth is never fed.” Now is the time for action.
Okay, so I know it's a lot. Remember, I said it all started from a friend telling me they were HIV positive. It really turned my world up-side-down. So here I am, wanting to not only to inform myself but our entire community. It is what it is and if we don't address AIDS now our tomorrow might not be the change we hoped for. What do you think?
Sadly, it wasn't till my close friend notified me of his status that I found myself becoming more knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS and its impact on the African American. I was alarmed to discover that AIDS has quietly become one the leading causes of death for Blacks and Latinos in the United States. And although, it is an epidemic in our communities, we have yet to fully commit ourselves to aggressively addressing the epidemic...maybe due to HIV/AIDS fatigue or lack of leadership? I'm not sure but what I do know is that we can't wait any longer because AIDS is killing us. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans make up approximately 13% of the US population, but in 2005 they accounted for 49% percent of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed.
I was completely shocked and outraged? Are you?
Among youth, while only 15% of teens (ages 13-19) are African American, they accounted for 73% of the new AIDS cases reported in 2004. Comparably shocking HIV and AIDS is the leading cause of death for African American women between the ages of 25 and 34.
http://www.cdc.gov/
Where's Black leadership on this issue? Where's the Black Church?
The failure of African American leadership to address the AIDS epidemic which disproportionately impacts African people more than any other ethnic group in the United States is a moral travesty and socially irresponsible. Is it enough to be outraged only by the United States government's delayed response to a national health epidemic but not our own so-called leadership?
Do you mean to tell me that African American leadership is more willing to challenge our society's use of the “N” and not the HIV and AIDS epidemic? I'm sorry there are no passes being handed out today, tonight and whenever! The “N” word “AIN'T” killing people nor is it creating a biological underclass of individuals dependent upon anti-viral medication for the duration of their life on earth. Come on now.
Frankly, “our” leaderships inability to address homophobia, sexual safety, and patriarchy is a primary reason AIDS continues to impact Black folks disproportionately. Long standing homophobic attitudes in the Black community and church prohibit Black folks from getting “real”-sponsible about AIDS. It's time to be honest with ourselves and our partners about our sexual choices and preferences. Promiscuous and/or bisexual Black men are not addressing how they have contributed to the way this disease is impacting Black women and devastating our community. Where's the love brothas? Black women deal with enough. Don't get me wrong, I'm mature enough to handle if a man I was dating informed me that he was bisexual or curious. Actually, I'd welcome the conversation without becoming judgmental or abruptly ending our relationship out of fear of having to compete with another man. I'd prefer for us to be honest with one another and discuss the importance of practicing sexual safety at all times for the sake of both of us.
As the epidemic continues to grow while religious forces of all color ignore AIDS and the federal government continues to champions abstinence to no avail, people are slowly dying. Black women being the most at risk group, the fact that AIDS is impacting Black women more than any other group might be one more reason, Black leadership is invisible when it comes to addressing the AIDS epidemic. There's no doubt that African American religious and political leadership is concerned about the problem of AIDS, it's the action of not doing something about it that I have the most problem with.
According to the The Kaiser Family Foundation Survey of African Americans on HIV/AIDS about half of African Americans say local schools (49%) and churches or religious leaders (54%) care 'a lot' about the problem of AIDS; by comparison, only a quarter say either actually do “a lot” (28% and 23%, respectively). The government gets lower marks: fewer African Americans say the government at any level -- local (17%), state (20%), or federal (22%) -- cares 'a lot' about AIDS; almost the same percentages as say government does 'a lot' in the fight against the disease (local: 14%; state: 17%; federal: 18%).
Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute and Chairman of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University, suggested in an interview, “ a need for more leadership within the African American community - especially from ministers and other church leaders, medical professionals, and educators to talk about an epidemic which is sixteen times more likely to strike its women and six times more likely to strike its men." Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. also asked "Why is it that we are motivated to fight racism in the workplace and the civic square, but are not equally motivated to save the lives of our brothers and sisters from this horrible disease?"
For the first time since the detection of the HIV, women account for approximately half of those affected worldwide. Today AIDS is the leading cause of death in African American women aged 25-34 and the third leading cause of death in African American men in the same age group. More than 64 percent of HIV positive infants are African American, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Driven by gender power inequities rooted in a complex design of cultural, socio-economics and politics, the feminization of HIV and AIDS has hit African American women in the United States extremely hard. Our bodies and stories are being violated and forgotten simultaneously in the face of AIDS. There has been a call for us as Black women, Black people to demand an aggressive culturally sensitive approach from the U.S. government in addressing the epidemic now. An equally aggressive approach that would rival our governments attempts in the early 80's, when it was viewed as predominately impacting white males. Hillary Clinton once stated while on the presidential election campaign of 2007, “If HIV-AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four, there would be an outraged outcry in this country.” Black women must begin to consistently initiate dialogue about our sexuality in a manner that challenges patriarchy and racism in America. We must first educate ourselves then our men, our daughters, and our sons. If we do the math the numbers don't lie, and our silence has allowed this disease to take a toll on our health and spirits. My mother always says, “a closed mouth is never fed.” Now is the time for action.
Okay, so I know it's a lot. Remember, I said it all started from a friend telling me they were HIV positive. It really turned my world up-side-down. So here I am, wanting to not only to inform myself but our entire community. It is what it is and if we don't address AIDS now our tomorrow might not be the change we hoped for. What do you think?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Opening My Eyes
Before I started working with Beyond The Odds, AIDS was not anything more than a fleeting thought. I have had unsafe and unprotected sex with a number of partners and did not worry about possible repercussions to my health. I always trusted my judgment, and instinct, even when intoxicated. I have been in a committed relationship for over two years now and still have never been tested for any sexually transmitted diseases.
The stories and presence of my peers who are the journalists for Beyond The Odds have greatly opened my eyes. Simply listening and being at the workshops has been, at times, heavy, but I am always reminded of the strength this group of individuals embodies. The conversations we have had are not something I would experience anywhere else. This makes me realize that these types of conversations should be more commonplace. I believe that part of why the discussion around HIV and youth is limited is because people do not know how to talk about it; be it people with skewed assumptions about the disease or people who are living with it and are uncomfortable talking about AIDS with people who are not HIV positive.
One thing that we have discussed at the workshops is a comparison between the new health epidemic, the oh so-scary Swine Flu, and the seemingly invisible threat of AIDS. With around 100 known cases, people are paranoid about traveling, being in contained spaces and some are even wearing facemasks. But the idea of AIDS is just too huge for most people to fathom. "More than five young people worldwide contract HIV every minute -- that's 7,000 people each day, and more than 2.6 million each year. Half of all new HIV infections occur in young people ages 15-24, with one-third of all currently infected individuals in this age group1. " With a shocking fact like that people are still not wearing condoms. I can say for myself that while the facts are overwhelming, it has had zero effect compared to the handful of hours I have spent thus far with a group of my peers who are all HIV- positive and pull no punches in being themselves.
I believe that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and I know that needs to start with me. “A 1992 study of HIV-infected youth conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health revealed that one-third of all adolescents who had been diagnosed with HIV had discovered their illness accidentally, through mandatory testing at the Job Corps, the military, or plasma centers. The other two- thirds learned of their illness through emergency rooms and acute-care settings. These youth were already sick by the time of their diagnosis2.” Therefore, starting today, my choices and decisions to get protected, get tested and get informed will be a top priority not just for myself but also for my partners.
This blog was written by a Beyond the Odds staff member for Beyond the Odds 2009. Beyond the Odds is a project designed to illuminate the perspectives of young people 18-24 living with HIV and AIDS. Beyond the Odds.org set to launch late June, 2009.
1 Advocates for Youth, March 15, 2001
2 http://www.thebody.com/content/art32384.html
The stories and presence of my peers who are the journalists for Beyond The Odds have greatly opened my eyes. Simply listening and being at the workshops has been, at times, heavy, but I am always reminded of the strength this group of individuals embodies. The conversations we have had are not something I would experience anywhere else. This makes me realize that these types of conversations should be more commonplace. I believe that part of why the discussion around HIV and youth is limited is because people do not know how to talk about it; be it people with skewed assumptions about the disease or people who are living with it and are uncomfortable talking about AIDS with people who are not HIV positive.
One thing that we have discussed at the workshops is a comparison between the new health epidemic, the oh so-scary Swine Flu, and the seemingly invisible threat of AIDS. With around 100 known cases, people are paranoid about traveling, being in contained spaces and some are even wearing facemasks. But the idea of AIDS is just too huge for most people to fathom. "More than five young people worldwide contract HIV every minute -- that's 7,000 people each day, and more than 2.6 million each year. Half of all new HIV infections occur in young people ages 15-24, with one-third of all currently infected individuals in this age group1. " With a shocking fact like that people are still not wearing condoms. I can say for myself that while the facts are overwhelming, it has had zero effect compared to the handful of hours I have spent thus far with a group of my peers who are all HIV- positive and pull no punches in being themselves.
I believe that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and I know that needs to start with me. “A 1992 study of HIV-infected youth conducted by the Minnesota Department of Health revealed that one-third of all adolescents who had been diagnosed with HIV had discovered their illness accidentally, through mandatory testing at the Job Corps, the military, or plasma centers. The other two- thirds learned of their illness through emergency rooms and acute-care settings. These youth were already sick by the time of their diagnosis2.” Therefore, starting today, my choices and decisions to get protected, get tested and get informed will be a top priority not just for myself but also for my partners.
This blog was written by a Beyond the Odds staff member for Beyond the Odds 2009. Beyond the Odds is a project designed to illuminate the perspectives of young people 18-24 living with HIV and AIDS. Beyond the Odds.org set to launch late June, 2009.
1 Advocates for Youth, March 15, 2001
2 http://www.thebody.com/content/art32384.html
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Lack of Minority faces in Safe Sex Ads by Condom Manufacturers
Each year two major condom manufacturing companies Trojan and Durex emphasizes the importance of safer sex through elaborate commercials geared towards Americans purchasing their products. While their efforts to have Americans practice safe sex should be applauded, the lack of African American and Latino representation should raise a red flag from minority consumers.
African Americans and Latinos are sexual beings who should be interested in (or targeted for) practicing sexual safety. And the fact that Black and Brown communities are at a greater risk for contracting HIV, shouldn't we be prioritized in the marketing strategy? If not prioritized, these communities should at the least be included. Yes, I know that's an optimistic thought. But look, they owe us that much considering all the Magnum references made in hip-hop songs, lol. Bottom line, these companies know we're purchasing their products and to not include us is unacceptable and highly questionable.
How many times have you sat at home and stumbled across a condom commercial? Did you ever feel compelled to use a condom based on the “European” individuals in the ad? Did the condom ad properly present the way you experience sexual pleasures as a person of color? There's a direct disconnection with American safe sex ads and American sexual behaviors. Americans are too conservative! Therefore a lot of these ads are restricted in the way they promote safe sex....their entire approach is outdated, sexist, oppressive, homophobic, and borderline racist crap.
Recently, I did a little web research looking for ads that spoke directly to me as a Black woman needless to say most of the ads featured young white folks in the stereotypical sexist fashion. However there were a few ads that featured African American narrators, there's the ad with the overweight Black guy playing the role of Condom Fairy, or the ad that looks like a scene from a hip-hop video. This did nothing for me personally...I'm looking to be spoken to not at.
Then I stumbled upon a Trust condom ad from Kenya. The ad featuring an all African cast of characters suggestively hinting at the importance of using condoms. One (Trust) ad presented a heterosexual presentation of Black love and the importance of safe sex. The other (extremely entertaining) ad suggested the correct way of putting on a condom. Reports suggest that correct utilization of a condom is essential for decreasing the chance of transmitting HIV. It was an entertaining and educational way to speak directly to the realities of a country facing an AIDS pandemic. Kenya is at the forefront of combating HIV. They've been able to reach a population that's at high risk for contracting the AIDS virus through the implementation of culturally sensitive and progressive programs and models. Kenyans totally get that social marketing plays into influencing how certain groups experience condom use.
And the fact that Black and Brown folks aren't even primary subjects in US condom ads, might be another reason “we” are contracting HIV at alarming rates.
Take a look at the condom commercials and tell me what you think. The ads aren't perfect but I think it's a start in the right direction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoo3IuYujws&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCa6XBKwMjM
Could this be an approach that we need to try here in the United States? Should we demand more ads that feature Black and Brown people? Could there be a possibility that this might change the way we relate to safe sex?
African Americans and Latinos are sexual beings who should be interested in (or targeted for) practicing sexual safety. And the fact that Black and Brown communities are at a greater risk for contracting HIV, shouldn't we be prioritized in the marketing strategy? If not prioritized, these communities should at the least be included. Yes, I know that's an optimistic thought. But look, they owe us that much considering all the Magnum references made in hip-hop songs, lol. Bottom line, these companies know we're purchasing their products and to not include us is unacceptable and highly questionable.
How many times have you sat at home and stumbled across a condom commercial? Did you ever feel compelled to use a condom based on the “European” individuals in the ad? Did the condom ad properly present the way you experience sexual pleasures as a person of color? There's a direct disconnection with American safe sex ads and American sexual behaviors. Americans are too conservative! Therefore a lot of these ads are restricted in the way they promote safe sex....their entire approach is outdated, sexist, oppressive, homophobic, and borderline racist crap.
Recently, I did a little web research looking for ads that spoke directly to me as a Black woman needless to say most of the ads featured young white folks in the stereotypical sexist fashion. However there were a few ads that featured African American narrators, there's the ad with the overweight Black guy playing the role of Condom Fairy, or the ad that looks like a scene from a hip-hop video. This did nothing for me personally...I'm looking to be spoken to not at.
Then I stumbled upon a Trust condom ad from Kenya. The ad featuring an all African cast of characters suggestively hinting at the importance of using condoms. One (Trust) ad presented a heterosexual presentation of Black love and the importance of safe sex. The other (extremely entertaining) ad suggested the correct way of putting on a condom. Reports suggest that correct utilization of a condom is essential for decreasing the chance of transmitting HIV. It was an entertaining and educational way to speak directly to the realities of a country facing an AIDS pandemic. Kenya is at the forefront of combating HIV. They've been able to reach a population that's at high risk for contracting the AIDS virus through the implementation of culturally sensitive and progressive programs and models. Kenyans totally get that social marketing plays into influencing how certain groups experience condom use.
And the fact that Black and Brown folks aren't even primary subjects in US condom ads, might be another reason “we” are contracting HIV at alarming rates.
Take a look at the condom commercials and tell me what you think. The ads aren't perfect but I think it's a start in the right direction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoo3IuYujws&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCa6XBKwMjM
Could this be an approach that we need to try here in the United States? Should we demand more ads that feature Black and Brown people? Could there be a possibility that this might change the way we relate to safe sex?
Saturday, May 23, 2009
The Real Deal: Facts About Youth and AIDS
"In the U.S., it is estimated that two young people (age 13-25) are infected with HIV each hour.[1]"
The people most affected by HIV and AIDS by in large, are those most marginalized by our political system: poor people, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities. Yet the struggle of those communities against HIV and AIDS remain largely invisible to the greater public. In the United States, rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as of unintended pregnancy are disproportionately high among youth of color, especially among black and Hispanic youth. Social, economic, and cultural barriers limit the ability of many youth of color to receive accurate and adequate information on preventing HIV, STIs, and unwanted pregnancy [2]. Youth of color experience higher rates of medical indigence than do white youth, and they more often confront financial, cultural, and institutional barriers in obtaining health care. For many youth of color, publicly funded health insurance provides limited access to comprehensive, adolescent-appropriate health services[3].
Through 2001, African Americans and Latinas accounted for 84 percent of cumulative AIDS cases among women ages 13 to 19 and 78 percent of cases among women ages 20 to 24.Through 2001, African Americans and Latinos accounted for 62 percent of cumulative AIDS cases among men ages 13 to 19 and 60 percent of cases among men ages 20 to 24[4]. In a study of African American women ages 13 to 19, 26 percent felt little control over whether or not a condom was used during intercourse; 75 percent agreed that, if a male knew a female was taking oral contraceptives, he would not want to use a condom; 66 percent felt that a male partner would be hurt, insulted, or suspicious if asked about his HIV risk factors[5].
Rates of HIV infection are disproportionately high among young women of color, especially those who are members of the working poor and, therefore, lack health insurance and easy access to health care. These young women need gender-specific and culturally appropriate HIV prevention programs[6].
Beyond The Odds: The Realities of Being Young and HIV Positive magnifies the impact that HIV and AIDS has had on low-income and minority youth by empowering HIV positive youth to produce timely, relevant and comprehensive coverage about HIV and AIDS. The “youth journalists” will attempt to open the discussion on this issue by relaying their personal experiences and insight. BTO will explore the intersections between the HIV/AIDS problem and racial and economic marginalization in communities of color, through photography, blogging and poetry.
1. Youth Report 200, White House Office of National Aids Policy
2. www.advocatesforyouth.org
3. Office of Women's Health. Women of Color Health Data Book: Adolescents to Seniors. Bethesda, MD. National Institute of Health, 1998.
4. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2002.
5. Overby KJ, Kegeles SM. The impact of AIDS on an urban population of high-risk female minority adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health 1994; 15:216-227.
6. Office of Research Women's Health. Women of Color Health Data Book: Adolescents to Seniors. Bethesda, MD. National Institute of Health, 1998.
The people most affected by HIV and AIDS by in large, are those most marginalized by our political system: poor people, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities. Yet the struggle of those communities against HIV and AIDS remain largely invisible to the greater public. In the United States, rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as of unintended pregnancy are disproportionately high among youth of color, especially among black and Hispanic youth. Social, economic, and cultural barriers limit the ability of many youth of color to receive accurate and adequate information on preventing HIV, STIs, and unwanted pregnancy [2]. Youth of color experience higher rates of medical indigence than do white youth, and they more often confront financial, cultural, and institutional barriers in obtaining health care. For many youth of color, publicly funded health insurance provides limited access to comprehensive, adolescent-appropriate health services[3].
Through 2001, African Americans and Latinas accounted for 84 percent of cumulative AIDS cases among women ages 13 to 19 and 78 percent of cases among women ages 20 to 24.Through 2001, African Americans and Latinos accounted for 62 percent of cumulative AIDS cases among men ages 13 to 19 and 60 percent of cases among men ages 20 to 24[4]. In a study of African American women ages 13 to 19, 26 percent felt little control over whether or not a condom was used during intercourse; 75 percent agreed that, if a male knew a female was taking oral contraceptives, he would not want to use a condom; 66 percent felt that a male partner would be hurt, insulted, or suspicious if asked about his HIV risk factors[5].
Rates of HIV infection are disproportionately high among young women of color, especially those who are members of the working poor and, therefore, lack health insurance and easy access to health care. These young women need gender-specific and culturally appropriate HIV prevention programs[6].
Beyond The Odds: The Realities of Being Young and HIV Positive magnifies the impact that HIV and AIDS has had on low-income and minority youth by empowering HIV positive youth to produce timely, relevant and comprehensive coverage about HIV and AIDS. The “youth journalists” will attempt to open the discussion on this issue by relaying their personal experiences and insight. BTO will explore the intersections between the HIV/AIDS problem and racial and economic marginalization in communities of color, through photography, blogging and poetry.
1. Youth Report 200, White House Office of National Aids Policy
2. www.advocatesforyouth.org
3. Office of Women's Health. Women of Color Health Data Book: Adolescents to Seniors. Bethesda, MD. National Institute of Health, 1998.
4. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2002.
5. Overby KJ, Kegeles SM. The impact of AIDS on an urban population of high-risk female minority adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Health 1994; 15:216-227.
6. Office of Research Women's Health. Women of Color Health Data Book: Adolescents to Seniors. Bethesda, MD. National Institute of Health, 1998.
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