WOMEN & HIV/AIDS
The U.S. officially marks National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Saturday, March 10. Although women make up at least a quarter of all people living with HIV in the U.S., they are often overlooked in HIV education and prevention efforts, their needs are frequently not taken into account in HIV policy and care decisions, and they are not well represented in the research studies that form the basis for HIV treatment recommendations and guidelines.
TheBody.com's HIV/AIDS Resource Center for Women prides itself on being one of just a few places on the Web where women can turn for crucial, relevant information. Our collection of practical guides, first-person stories, expert interviews and the latest news is meant to destigmatize HIV/AIDS and empower women across racial, ethnic, age-based and geographical divides.
BREAKING RESEARCH FROM CROI 2012
A major HIV research meeting is wrapping up today in Seattle, Wash. Known as the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), it's a gathering of thousands of the top minds studying HIV/AIDS today.
Tune in to our CROI 2012 home page for summaries and analyses of the most noteworthy new research on HIV prevention, treatment, health issues and more! Here are a few early highlights. (Note: These articles live on TheBodyPRO.com, our sister site for health care professionals.)
PrEP Grabs Spotlight Early at CROI; Focus on Importance of Adherence
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remains a promising avenue for HIV prevention, but ensuring adequate adherence is proving to be a particular challenge. Researchers with the FEM-PrEP study are among several who have presented data highlighting this challenge.
"Immune" to HIV? Not So Fast
A particular type of mutation renders people with HIV effectively immune to most strains of the virus. (The "Berlin patient," Timothy Brown, was essentially "given" this type of mutation.) But as a new case report shows, these individuals are still vulnerable to at least one other type of HIV.
Some HIVers Develop Spontaneous Control of HIV After Short-Term HAART During Acute Infection
If people take HIV meds for a year or two beginning immediately after they're infected, can their immune system gain the ability to hold off HIV on its own, without treatment, for years? New research suggests it's possible.
"Constructivist Coat," 1980
Visit the March 2012 Visual AIDS Web Gallery to view our latest collection of art by HIV-positive artists! This month's gallery, "From Arches to Earrings," is curated by Glynnis McDaris and Julia Trotta.
Teniecka Drake: Finding Strength After Adversity
"I used to always tell my then-fiancé, now husband, that I was defective. Thinking, as a defective, broken human being, that I was not worthy of love or anything good. That is not true at all!"
Khafre Abif: The Power of Words
"Cornbread, Fish and Collard Greens: Prayers, Poems & Affirmation for People Living with HIV/AIDS has received submissions from Africa, America, Europe and South America. ... Share the campaign with your family, friends and your social network. All the tools are there."
The Rev. Andrena Ingram: A Leper Colony by Any Other Name
"I remember saying: 'What? You think that people with HIV and AIDS should still be isolated and put away?' And he responded: 'Yes!' ... Stigma is alive and well, people. And we have to educate. Gently."
Alberto (From Germany) on "The Only Thing "Positive" in My Life Was My HIV Status"
"You've had a really hard life, and the fact that you still go on is what makes you amazing. Don't ever give up hope. ... It doesn't matter what you did in the past as long as those mistakes made you learn about life."
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HIV TREATMENT & HEALTH ISSUES
New HIV Care Guidelines Focus on Entry Into and Retention In Care
An expert panel convened by the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) has published brand-new guidelines that focus on helping ensure that people with HIV stay in care and adhere to their HIV meds. Ben Young, M.D., Ph.D., examines why these new guidelines are worth paying attention to.
Interactions Between Certain HIV or Hepatitis C Drugs and Cholesterol-Lowering Statin Drugs Can Increase the Risk of Muscle Injury
A new U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning cautions against drug-drug interactions between statins and protease inhibitors used in the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C. According to the warning, the interaction can cause an increase in statin levels that may increase a person's muscle damage risk.
Frequently Asked Questions: HIV and Substance Use
HIV/AIDS and substance use have always intersected with one another in various ways. This leads to a whole host of questions about how marijuana, meth, ecstacy and other drugs can interact with HIV and HIV medications. We've put together this list of common questions on the topic, along with answers from our experts in TheBody.com's "Ask the Experts" Forums.
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I Feel Like I'm Trapped in a Dream
(A recent post from the "Living With HIV" board)
"I've known for a little over a month now, but it seems like AGES since finding out. My doctor has been really great about everything, trying to make me feel as comfortable as possible, but I feel like it's not enough. ...
"Every day I feel lost and confused and almost like I'm in a dream that I can't wake up from. I try really hard to stay optimistic, but with my next blood draw not until the end of this month, then having to wait till mid-April to hear anything, just makes me worry.
"I guess what I'm getting at is, does anyone else have any experience with this kind of mentality? Was it difficult to cope with when you first found out?"
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HIV NEWS & OPINION
Jamar Rogers: The Story Behind the Voice
On Feb. 6, Jamar Rogers shared his HIV-positive status with millions of viewers as a prospective contestant on NBC's performance competition show The Voice. In this inspiring interview with POZIAM Radio, Jamar opens up about everything from his HIV diagnosis to being part of the show's cast.
Join the "Write a Letter to HIV" Campaign
"I've decided to write a letter expressing my feelings about HIV and I'm asking YOU to join me," blogger Justin B. Terry-Smith writes. "If you're infected or affected by HIV, I'm asking that you write a letter and then videotape yourself reading the letter aloud. It helps sometimes to get your feelings out."
Annual "Week of Prayer" Urges Faith-Based Efforts to Raise HIV Awareness
This year's National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS takes place from March 4 through March 10. Sponsored by the nonprofit organization Balm in Gilead, the observance is designed to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among congregations, particularly in African-American communities.
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