Men's Wellness Discussion Group

Recognizing that men's and women's health issues are unique has become a recognized fact in medicine in the recent past. With this in mind, and feeling at a bit of a loss sometimes in BC's health care system, a group of men in the Comox Valley began a Men's Wellness Discussion Group in January.

While many thoughts and ideas were brought forward at the first meetings of these self-directed sessions, the group has chosen to begin compiling a list of health care professionals between Parksville and Campbell River as its first project. A simple survey has been developed and will be sent to medical and health care professionals in the near future. Among other questions, health care providers are being asked if they are accepting new patients, if they have a specialty of any type and if they consider their practice to be gay friendly. Once the surveys are back, the information will be compiled on a database and will be available for anyone in the region who would like to access the list.

D. Cubberley: Thank you, minister. I appreciate the
responses. We're going to scroll through some things
now for a while before getting into seniors estimates,
when we'll have a more stable area of questioning.
A couple of questions in the area of prevention. The
first one has to do with the Ministry of Health's goal of
reducing the incidence of HIV infections by 50 percent
over a five-year period beginning in 2003. A subset of
that was the goal of increasing the proportion of HIV
positive individuals who are linked to appropriate
care, treatment and support service by 25 percent over
that same period of time. I'd like the minister to comment
on that in light of funding available to groups
who are working in the field to control the rate of HIV
infection.

Hon. G. Abbott: I appreciate the member asking
this very important question. To begin to just set out a
couple of the key facts around the challenge that is HIV
infection, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, which is

From GAy.com

Drug use is biggest single cause of HIV transmission in gay men
Gus Cairns
Using recreational drugs such as poppers, cocaine and crystal meth is the biggest single contributory factor to continued HIV transmission between gay men, the 12th Retrovirus Conference was told.

Grant Colfax of the San Francisco Department of Public Health told the conference that using crystal raised the risk of unsafe sex two to three times, and the risk of HIV infection by 60 percent.

Being "bottom" during unprotected anal sex raised the risk of infection by nearly 300 percent. But because taking drugs during sex was more common than getting penetrated bareback, the "attributable fraction" of HIV cases due to drug use (that is, the contribution drug use made to HIV transmission) was 29 percent, beating passive barebacking by 1 percent.

On the surface, Colfax admitted, it was puzzling that using a drug was even more risky than doing what you'd think would be the riskiest thing.

Higher than expected incidence of HIV found in injecting drug users in London

AIDSmap

A higher than expected incidence of HIV infections, and a high incidence of hepatitis C virus infections has been found amongst injecting drug users in London, according to a study published in the November 13th online edition of the British Medical Journal.

Compared to some other European countries the United Kingdom has a low prevalence of both HIV and hepatitis C virus amongst injecting drug users. This is attributed to the harm reduction measures introduced in the late 1980s, including the widespread introduction of needle exchange.

Investigators wished to determine the incidence of HIV and hepatitis C virus amongst new injecting drug users in London.

In 2001, a total of 428 injecting drug users under 30 years of age who had been injecting drugs for less than six years, were recruited from community settings in London and Brighton. Samples were provided for baseline HIV and hepatitis C virus testing and individuals provided demographic details and information about their injecting behaviour and risk activity to researchers. Follow-up was provided for a year.

A Challenge To the LGBT

Communities in the Aftermath of the U.S. Elections

Be A Queer for Four More Years
by the Rev. Dr. Penny Nixon

Excerpted from a sermon preached at
Metropolitan Community Church in San Francisco on November 7, 2004

Here we are. Many of us are disappointed, depressed, even devastated by
the outcome of the election. We cannot imagine four more years and
where
we will be at the end of the four years. We look back, but only long
enough to learn from our mistakes. We may be discouraged for the
moment,
but we live on hope.

Hope is not found in hollow optimism or in the language of cheap
platitudes. Hope thrives in adversity, comes alive in the most
undesirable circumstances, and finds kindred spirits with those who
choose to love in the midst of loss.

Eleven states passed anti-gay marriage laws, ten of them
overwhelmingly;
laws that will affect not just gay people. Many across the country
believe that moral values won the day. I believe that moral values
suffered a resounding defeat.

Thin Ice: New-Era Conditions for Our Community

The climate of uncertainty that is now pervasive
throughout the Capital Region’s social service
agencies is leaving the entire community on thin
ice when it comes to being able to support and
care for our most vulnerable citizens.

This is the third report in ongoing research looking at the impacts of
provincial government policy changes on the social service agencies of BC’s
Capital Region and the persons they serve.

The data for this report was collected from 24 agencies for the period
between July and December, 2003.
This Summary Report outlines some of the key findings of our researchers.

• Almost 90% (21/24) of agencies reported that the
number of clients who were highly stressed and
uncertain about the future continued to grow.

• Almost 80% (19/24) of agencies saw a higher number
of clients with their basic survival needs – for food,
shelter and medical care – unmet.

After the War on Drugs Report

See Also: Heroin Prescription Feasibility, Safety and Efficacy and Drug News in media

Some comments on the report:

First Class. Everyone knows that prohibition has failed, and this report sets out, for the first time, how we can replace it. ”
Simon Jenkins, former editor The Times, Columnist the Evening Standard and The Times

"Transform's report is of enormous significance. A thunderous clarion call that will set the walls of prohibition tumbling down"
Paul Flynn MP, Vice Chairman, All Party Group on Drug Misuse

"Transform are to be congratulated on this excellent and groundbreaking report"
Polly Toynbee, the Guardian

“The publication of this report will come to be seen as pivotal in replacing prohibition with a more pragmatic and humane policy on drugs.”
Lord Benjamin Mancroft, Chairman Mentor UK

Advice for Caregivers

Taking care of someone living with HIV/AIDS can sometimes be hard for caregivers. You also may find it difficult or a challenge to discuss HIV with the person you care about.

Below is a link to Living Positive Resource Centre in the Okanagan containing some tips to help you.

You can also call AIDS Vancouver Island's Infoline for more information. The AIDS Info line is 1 800-665-2437 or 250-384-2366 in Greater Victoria. The Info Line is available Monday to Friday 9 - 5pm except holidays.

Link: Advice for Caregivers

While serious illness can be present in anyone's life, AIDS has posed new challenges for everyone: not only individuals with AIDS, but also their families and friends. People who are in the prime of their lives may become ill, and have their lives severely affected. Their suffering and fear will be shared by the people close to them.

The following resource is from CKNW and the Bill Good Show. The interviews with two young people are riviting and informative.

Crystal Meth Special Report

See also: More on Crystal Meth

Resources and Information from The Bill Good Show's Special Investigation into Crystal Meth

Listen to "A Crystal Meth Special©"

CKNW

Following CKNW’s in-depth look at the problem of Crystal Meth addiction in BC, and having consulted with Health Care professionals, law enforcement agencies and government leaders, we have developed a six-point action plan.

· School boards should develop Crystal Meth education programs for students starting at age eight. Programs would include information about harm reduction, drug identification and consequences. Such a program should be in place by the start of the next school year.

Syphilis lowers CD4 cell count and increases viral load in HIV-positive men

Syphilis lowers CD4 cell count and increases viral load in HIV-positive men

AIDSmap

Michael Carter, Monday, October 11, 2004

Syphilis infection in HIV-positive men is associated with an increase in
viral load and reduction in CD4 cell count, according to a US study published in
the October 21st edition of AIDS. The study investigators believe that their
findings indicate that HIV-positive men with syphilis are potentially more
infectious and call for integrated public health campaigns to prevent the spread of
both HIV and syphilis.

Although it is known that syphilitic ulcers can facilitate HIV transmission,
the effect of syphilis on HIV viral load and CD4 cell count has been little
studied. Other sexually transmitted infections have been linked to changes in
immune status, and investigators in San Francisco wished to see if infection
with syphilis had an impact on the viral load and CD4 cell counts of HIV-positive
men.