In this issue:
• Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life
• AIDS Awareness Week Events
• Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network - AIDS Action website
• Women Who Binge Drink More Likely to Engage in Unsafe Sex
• 'Two-Speed' HIV/AIDS Epidemic Occurring in Australia, Opinion Piece Says
• CDC Needs Additional $4.8B To Reduce Annual Number of New Infections, Officials Say
• Newsweek Examines the Effect of Aging on People Living With HIV/AIDS
|
 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life
Thank You, Everyone!
The board, staff, clients and partners of HIV Edmonton thank everyone who participated in, donated to, sponsored, volunteered for and otherwise supported the 2008 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life.
Thanks to you, we raised $135,064 through the Walk. Every penny will stay right here in the Edmonton area and will be used to provide support, outreach, education and prevention services to the Edmonton region.
Prize Winners
Our Early Bird winner for this year was Veronica Vinge. This year’s top corporate team and winner of advertising space in one of Venture Publishing’s award-winning magazines is Sutton Nor-Vista Real Estate. The Pride Centre of Edmonton took home the top non-corporate team prize. The top walker was Laurie Hawn, MP Edmonton Centre, top child was Alexandra Bjerky and top youth was Hyun-Soo Lim. This year’s top dog is Roxanne Heilman.
Our Work Doesn’t End With the Walk
Stay tuned to what’s happening at HIV Edmonton by visiting http://www.hivedmonton.com, signing up to receive our listserv newsletters, reading our annual report and stopping by the office.
Please consider continuing to help us throughout the year. You can make a difference in many ways:
- Volunteer to help at special events or on an ongoing basis.
- Become a member.
- Commit to donating just $25 month.
- Donate supplies.
- Ask us how you can help.
Once again, and from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting the Walk for Life.
Please scroll to the end of our listserv to see a group photo!
|
AIDS Awareness Week Events
Is your organization planning an event for AIDS Awareness Week (November 24 - December 1)? Let HIV Edmonton know about it and we will add it to our list of events! We will be providing a calendar of events on our website, listserv and email mail-outs.
Date
|
Event
|
Time
|
Location
|
Host
|
December 1
|
Memorial
|
TBA
|
TBA
|
HIV Edmonton
|
Please contact Lynn at lynn.s@hivedmonton.com if you would like to add an event to the AIDS Awareness Week Calendar.
|
 Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network - AIDS Action website
Election 2008: Vote for action on AIDS!
The AIDS epidemic is far from over. Thousands of Canadians, and millions of people around the world, are infected with HIV each year. And each year, millions die because they don’t have the medicines or health services they need. We know what works to prevent the spread of HIV. We know what’s needed to support and care for people living with HIV, their families and their communities. For more information visit http://www.aidslaw.ca/EN/election2008/index.htm.
|
Women Who Binge Drink More Likely to Engage in Unsafe Sex
(CBC News, September 4, 2008)
A U.S. study says women who have more than five alcoholic drinks at one sitting are at increased risk of having unsafe sex and contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Researchers at John Hopkins University medical school in Baltimore looked at the correlation between binge drinking and risky sexual behaviours in women. They interviewed patients at an urban clinic for sexually transmitted infections to explore the link.
In their study, which will be published in the November issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, the researchers found that women who binge drink are at increased risk of practising unsafe sex, including having multiple partners and engaging in anal sex, leading to high rates of gonorrhea.
"The link between binge drinking and risky sexual behaviour is complex," said Heidi Hutton, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the medical school and an author of the study.
"We wanted to examine one component of that relationship, whether binge drinking increased the risk of engaging in sexual behaviours and having STDs. We found ... that binge drinking increased STD risk for women." Binge drinking was defined as having more than five drinks at one time.
>> Click Here
|
'Two-Speed' HIV/AIDS Epidemic Occurring in Australia, Opinion Piece Says
(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, September 16, 2008)
A "two-speed" HIV/AIDS epidemic is taking place in Australia, Jonathan Anderson, president of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine, writes in an Australian opinion piece. Rates among men who have sex with men "have been rising in Australia since the start of the decade," Anderson writes, adding that at the "same time, infections in new populations -- such as Australian heterosexual men traveling overseas for sex -- have highlighted the need for more sophisticated and complex responses."
In the region surrounding Australia, countries such as Papua New Guinea have "rising rates of infection, law and order issues, multiple sex partners, sexual violence and homophobia" that "make tackling the problem challenging," Anderson writes. He adds, "Imposing outside solutions may do more harm than good. Recent improvement in relations at a government level is likely to help facilitate the already established partnerships of professionals and community organizations."
>> Click Here
|
CDC Needs Additional $4.8B To Reduce Annual Number of New Infections, Officials Say
(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, September 17, 2008)
The Centre for Disease Control - CDC officials on Tuesday at a House Government Reform and Oversight Committee hearing said they would need an additional $4.8 billion dollars over the next five years to reduce the annual number of new HIV infections in the U.S., CQ HealthBeat reports (Stanchak, CQ HealthBeat, 9/16).
According to the Los Angeles Times, the hearing came after CDC released a study last month that found that about 56,300 new HIV infections occur annually in the U.S. (Dizikes, Los Angeles Times, 9/17).
CDC Director Julie Gerberding based on the new estimates the agency would need an additional $877 million in 2009 to reduce the number of new HIV infections. According to the Times, the fiscal year 2009 budget request for HIV prevention funding is $892 million, which includes $752.6 million requested by CDC. Waxman said that he would try to work with the House Appropriations Committee to increase funding for domestic HIV prevention efforts but added that he is "not very optimistic" the Bush administration will increase funding (Los Angeles Times, 9/17).
>> Click Here
|
Newsweek Examines the Effect of Aging on People Living With HIV/AIDS
(Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, September 22, 2008)
Newsweek on Thursday examined the effects of aging on HIV-positive people older than age 50, who currently comprise the fastest-growing group of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. From 1990 to 2005, the number of HIV cases among people older than 50 increased by more than 700%, according to local Department of Health studies. In addition, the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America reports that 35% of HIV-positive people are age 50 or older, and 70% are age 40 or older.
Although some of the older HIV-positive people recently contracted the disease, most have been living with the virus for many years, Newsweek reports. Some advocates said that many HIV-positive people in the age group living with HIV are men who have sex with men. According to Newsweek, the current generation of over-50 HIV-positive people is the first to experience the effects of aging on HIV/AIDS. Richard Havlik, epidemiologist and former chief of epidemiology at the National Institute on Aging, said the effects of aging may be particularly strong among HIV-positive people particularly because the aging process involves declining immunity.
>> Click Here
|
|
HIV Edmonton Welcomes Richard Berkowitz
Join HIV Edmonton as we host a book reading with Richard Berkowitz on September 29, 7:00pm at HIV Edmonton. A reception will follow. Please RSVP to Sue Ann by noon Friday, September 26th at 780-488-5742 or email sue-ann.p@hivedmonton.com.
Mr. Berkowitz's film, Sex Positive, will be shown the following evening as part of the 22nd Annual International Film Festival. Prior to the film a reception will be held at Boots N' Saddle. For more information contact Sue Ann at the HIV Edmonton office or read the synopsis of the film provided below.
Click Here
|
CATIE Capacity Building Workshops
HIV Edmonton is very pleased to once again be hosting a series of workshops in conjunction with CATIE (The Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange) on November 19-21. For a more detailed breakdown of what will be offered over these three days, see the community education page of our website.
This workshop is geared towards front-line workers and people living with HIV/AIDS who would like a more in-depth understanding of treatment and prevention. Space is limited to 20 participants. Please contact Jen at jen.p@hivedmonton.com if you would like to register for this exciting workshop. This initiative is made possible by CATIE.
|
|
