Transition to Hope

Transition to Hope http://www.thebody.com/content/art52510.html A blog by Gary Bell at TheBody.com. http://www.thebody.com/images/blog/gbell_biobox.gif Gary Bell http://www.thebody.com/content/art52510.html 115 130 Thank You, Mr. Sterling http://www.thebody.com/content/74499/thank-you-mr-sterling.html Strange title, eh? After all, why would I thank someone attributed to insensitive racial comments about African Americans in 2014? With an African American president, thousands of African Americans now listed among the elite, but elusive, top 1% (over a dozen of whom, by the way, actually work for Mr Sterling) don't we now live in, as many idealistic pundits and scholars call it, a 'post racial' society? Well, this blog is not intended to thank him for reminding us that racism is alive and well. I am thanking Donald Sterling for getting HIV back in the news.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74499/thank-you-mr-sterling.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Fri, 16 May 2014 12:00:00 GMT Ignorance Is Bliss (Not!) http://www.thebody.com/content/74500/ignorance-is-bliss-not.html As someone working in the field of HIV/AIDS, I have had many conversations about the topic with people ranging from politicians to middle school students. However, I will never forget the recent conversation that I had with a long-term (25+ years) survivor who shared how he could manage the symptoms, the side effects of the medication and even accepting that he may not live as long as he planned; but it was the stigma that he struggled with the most. So why, at the ripe old age of 32, does the stigma of HIV/AIDS remain so devastating?

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74500/ignorance-is-bliss-not.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Fri, 2 May 2014 12:00:00 GMT Were Michael Douglas' Comments About HPV Helpful? http://www.thebody.com/content/71891/were-michael-douglas-comments-about-hpv-helpful.html Megastar actor/director Michael Douglas recently caused a stir when he implied that his stage 4 throat cancer was caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which he believe he contracted through oral sex. He went on to say that cunnilingus was also the "best cure for it." As I have written previously, one tract of HPV (HPV16) is known to be linked to oral cancer, manifesting itself in the back regions of the throat and mouth.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/71891/were-michael-douglas-comments-about-hpv-helpful.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:28:00 GMT HPV Vaccination -- A Wasted Resource for African Americans? http://www.thebody.com/content/71540/hpv-vaccination--a-wasted-resource-for-african-ame.html The United States has no reporting system for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Infections and the development of warts appear to be common throughout life. In general, genital HPV infection is considered to have become dramatically more frequent over the past several decades. In the United States, young adults aged 15-24 years account for approximately one half of new HPV infections each year. The highest rate of infection is among young females aged 20-24 years. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that there are 6 million new incidents a year in the United States (in 2008) and an estimated prevalence of more than 20 million.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/71540/hpv-vaccination--a-wasted-resource-for-african-ame.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 16 May 2013 13:55:00 GMT Compulsory Sexual Education http://www.thebody.com/content/70150/compulsory-sexual-education.html The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released its report on Sexually Transmitted Diseases for 2011. Sadly, there are few surprises. With a total of 1,412,791 cases, Chlamydia trachomatis infection remains the STD leader. This figure is the largest number of cases ever reported to CDC for any condition and represents an increase of 8.0% compared with the rate in 2010. The national gonorrhea rate increased as well after over a decade of fluctuation and/or decline. However, the greatest concern about the "clap," as we used to call it, is its increasing resistance to the medications commonly used to treat it, cephalosporins and azithromycin.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70150/compulsory-sexual-education.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 24 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT World AIDS Day 2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/70094/world-aids-day-2012.html Saturday was the 25th commemoration of World AIDS Day. The theme this year was "Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections, zero deaths from AIDS-related illness and zero discrimination." While these may sound like lofty goals, the last year has shown some real progress.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70094/world-aids-day-2012.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 3 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT Preventing HIV Transmission With Youth Infected at Birth http://www.thebody.com/content/69737/preventing-hiv-transmission-with-youth-infected-at.html As we reach a certain age, many of us long for the vitality of youth without, of course, the consequences for our youthful indiscretions. It is a time of learning and discovery. For many, it is also a time for sexual exploration. Adolescents in 2012 have lived their entire lives with the HIV epidemic. They may have learned about it in health class, read about it on the Internet, or perhaps learned that someone close to them has been infected. Now, imagine that at age 15 or 16 you are told that you are HIV positive, not because you became infected through risky behavior, but because you have had it all of your life. More troubling: what if you have been sexually active before you found out?

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/69737/preventing-hiv-transmission-with-youth-infected-at.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:35:00 GMT Chagas Disease: A New Health Disparity http://www.thebody.com/content/67551/chagas-disease-a-new-health-disparity.html Ever heard of chagas disease? Well, you're not alone. There may be as many as 10 million people, including an estimated 1 million in the United States, who have it.

Chagas is a disease cause by a parasite; Trypanosoma cruzi, which lives inside a certain insect native to Central and South America. This insect, the Triatomabug, thrives in tropical areas, especially poor housing conditions where they come out and infect their victims at night.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67551/chagas-disease-a-new-health-disparity.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:28:00 GMT What Does an Undetectable Viral Load REALLY Mean? http://www.thebody.com/content/66662/what-does-an-undetectable-viral-load-really-mean.html There are many well documented benefits to reducing the viral load of an HIV+ individual to an undetectable level. Unfortunately, there also remains a some haziness about the term "undetectable." In actuality, it is somewhat of a misnomer. For someone to truly have undetectable HIV would mean that the battery of sophisticated tests available could not find any virus in a person's body. Thus far there is only one case of an HIV+ individual, a German who received a bone marrow transplant from a donor who had a genetic resistance to the virus, who seems to have cleared HIV entirely from one's system. An undetectable viral load means that the HIV virus in one's blood has been suppressed to the point where either the HIV RNA is not present in your blood at the time of testing or that the level of HIV RNA is below the threshold needed for detection. Another factor is the sensitivity of the specific test that is utilized.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66662/what-does-an-undetectable-viral-load-really-mean.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 11 Apr 2012 10:01:00 GMT African Americans Stand to Lose From the War on Contraception http://www.thebody.com/content/66512/african-americans-stand-to-lose-from-the-war-on-co.html According to Webster's Dictionary, "Contraception" is defined as the deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation by any of various drugs, techniques, or devices or; birth control. However, with the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections, many people tend to incorporate their contraceptive and sexual health prevention methods under a concept of risk reduction.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66512/african-americans-stand-to-lose-from-the-war-on-co.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:02:00 GMT And the Beat Goes On ... http://www.thebody.com/content/66127/and-the-beat-goes-on.html As the controversy about HIV criminalization continues to rage, the state of Maryland has decided to 'up the ante,' so to speak, by proposing to add more teeth to their current HIV-specific criminal law, according to a recent article in the American Independent newspaper. Presently, a person convicted of knowingly transmitting or attempting to transmit HIV to another person may result in an $2500 fine and up to a three year prison sentence. However, Maryland state legislators are considering changing the law from a misdemeanor to a felony with an up to 25 year sentence. Despite the absence of evidence that these types of punitive methods are a deterrent and that people who know their HIV status, especially if they have achieved viral suppression with anti-retroviral therapy, are less likely to infect others, fear and and the desire for retribution continues to reign.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66127/and-the-beat-goes-on.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 6 Mar 2012 12:17:00 GMT HIV Criminalization http://www.thebody.com/content/65505/hiv-criminalization.html In May 2008, a homeless, HIV+ man was sentenced to 35 years in prison for assaulting a police officer with a "deadly weapon," his saliva! Willie Campbell, who was clearly intoxicated at the time, has been HIV+ since 1994 and has a history of aggressive behavior with public servants, will have to serve at least 17.5 years to be eligible for parole. The police officers were not infected. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), although there have been a few rare cases of transmission through severe bites, "contact with saliva, tears or sweat has never been shown to result in transmission of H.I.V."

Read more ...

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65505/hiv-criminalization.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:08:00 GMT AIDS Denialism http://www.thebody.com/content/65378/aids-denialism.html Recently, someone named Curtis Cost wrote an article assailing the importance and validity of African Americans knowing their HIV status. Since the first widely reported cases in 1981, HIV has been mired in controversies, ranging from its origin to the possible existence of a cure. Sadly, over thirty years later, we continue to have many of the same conversations. What should NOT be in doubt any longer is that HIV disease is having a devastating impact on the African American community.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65378/aids-denialism.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 9 Jan 2012 07:50:00 GMT Can Certain Contraceptives Increase HIV Risk? http://www.thebody.com/content/64385/can-certain-contraceptives-increase-hiv-risk.html I can imagine that those who try to remain current with new developments in contraception and HIV risk reduction may cringe at discovering that something else might place them at increased risk of HIV infection. This time, that something else may be a popular form of contraception, injectable hormones. Injectable hormones, such as the well-known Depo-Provera, are one of the easiest, most cost effective contraception alternatives because they are long lasting, easily administered and and gives women more control over the timing of their pregnancies. Unfortunately, they do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted infection. Now, a recent study published in Lancet on October 3, 2011, raises concern that their role in HIV infection might be even more problematic. Researchers from the University of Washington followed almost 4,000 couples for two years in Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In each couple, either the man or the woman was already infected with HIV.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64385/can-certain-contraceptives-increase-hiv-risk.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 6 Oct 2011 08:28:00 GMT Treatment Is Prevention Part 1 http://www.thebody.com/content/63607/treatment-is-prevention-part-1.html Some of you may be aware that the annual HIV Prevention conference has been taking place in Atlanta this week. One of the unique aspects of HIV conferences is that they tend to bring together an eclectic mix of people: consumers, researchers, medical providers, non profits and other assorted advocates. As we, as a society, struggle with finding new and creative ways to reduce the transmission of HIV, it was only natural to consider the impact a medical model might have on this challenge. Perhaps one of the most exciting studies within the last several months demonstrates the benefit of immediate, aggressive HIV treatment in reducing transmission.

Read more ...

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63607/treatment-is-prevention-part-1.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 18 Aug 2011 06:59:00 GMT HIV at 30 http://www.thebody.com/content/63336/hiv-at-30.html For the two or three of you (lol) who follow my blog, you may have noticed that I haven't blogged in a while. A lot has happened to me over the last several months that I won't get into now. However, I have returned with a renewed sense of purpose and quite a lot to say.

Much has been written about the 30th anniversary of HIV. I plan to write throughout the year on this topic. It is long and complex area and I cannot begin to do it justice in one or two blogs. So here I go ...

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63336/hiv-at-30.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:20:00 GMT 2010: A Year of Promise http://www.thebody.com/content/art59697.html For so many years, the news about efforts to combat HIV/AIDS has been, in a word, depressing. It seemed that with every positive development would come news of escalating infection rates, or that some promising vaccine or therapy was less promising than we had hoped. But 2010 will be remembered as one of the first years where there seems to be almost universal optimism that real progress is being made in this war.

Perhaps the most optimistic front has been in the area of science. During this year, we have been uplifted with promising results of studies raging from the possible efficacy of microbicides, to the potential of gene therapy. At the International AIDS Conference, one of the major themes throughout the event was that effective HIV treatment IS prevention i.e., that reducing viral load may be an effective tool in reducing infection rates. Moreover, for many years, the idea of a pill that could prevent HIV infection was almost universally derided. Yet with the recent announcement of the National Institutes for Health study of pre-exposure prophylaxis in MSM, we now may have another tool to reduce infection rates in individuals at greatest risk.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art59697.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 2 Dec 2010 20:14:00 GMT Disturbing New Information on MSM and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art59142.html One of the most frustrating aspects of working in HIV is addressing the many myths (as well as conspiracy theories) surrounding it-the most persistent of which is that AIDS is a "gay disease." Clearly this myth started early in the history of HIV in the U.S., yet has persisted despite clear evidence of how HIV is transmitted and the growing diversity of those whom become infected. Moreover, it has been convenient for many to affix the label of "gay" to anyone who has had sex with the same gender. However, a startling new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) may add additional fuel to that myth. A CDC study conducted in 21 cities tested over 8,000 gay and bisexual men participating in the 2008 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art59142.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:34:00 GMT HIV May Have Been Present for 32,000 Years http://www.thebody.com/content/art58837.html Despite the persistent myth that HIV was a man-made disease, unleashed upon the unsuspecting, disenfranchised of our society (read gays and blacks), now comes more evidence that it may have been present in monkeys and apes for a millennia. New research, published in Science magazine last month, report the presence of the ancestor of the simian HIV virus in Africa possibly dating back as far as 78,000 years. This fascinating research, that studied monkey species on a volcanic island off of the coast of West Africa, who developed in isolation, found that four of the six species had been infected with HIV.

Read more ...

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art58837.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:49:00 GMT Opt-Out and Eliminating Consent for HIV Testing http://www.thebody.com/content/art58595.html The conference is starting to wind down. From a personal and environmental perspective, you can feel the air slowly 'leaving the balloon.' The palpable energy level has dropped appreciably. Many of us are just overloaded. There is so much information being disseminated, as well as events, press conferences, and activities, many occurring concurrently, that it is physically impossible to attend but a fraction of it.

One of my greatest regrets is that I haven't had an opportunity to have any substantive conversations with my brothers and sisters from other countries. There has just been so little time. I have had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the gentlemen in my traveling party who work for organizations that have similar programs to my own. I have found those conversations to be enlightening and helpful.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art58595.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:10:00 GMT What Message Do We Want to Take to AIDS 2012 in Washington, D.C.? http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57725.html The conference is starting to wind down. From a personal and environmental perspective, you can feel the air slowly 'leaving the balloon.' The palpable energy level has dropped appreciably. Many of us are just overloaded. There is so much information being disseminated, as well as events, press conferences, and activities, many occurring concurrently, that it is physically impossible to attend but a fraction of it.

One of my greatest regrets is that I haven't had an opportunity to have any substantive conversations with my brothers and sisters from other countries. There has just been so little time. I have had the opportunity to speak with a couple of the gentlemen in my traveling party who work for organizations that have similar programs to my own. I have found those conversations to be enlightening and helpful.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57725.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:31:00 GMT "Our Own House Is on Fire": Thoughts on HIV/AIDS Spending in the U.S. http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57659.html "Charity begins at home." A cliché? Certainly! But with dwindling resources for everything and a raging HIV Epidemic in Black people in the United States, should we concentrate more of our efforts here?

This question, which has created an ongoing tension for many HIV/AIDS advocates in the U.S., was the proverbial "elephant in the room" during a breakfast meeting I attended with billionaire philanthropist Sheila Johnson this morning. Ms Johnson acknowledged coming to the same conclusion through her international work with CARE upon learning of the devastation that HIV was causing in Washington DC. For years, we (Black U.S. HIV advocates) have witnessed the constant flow of wealthy celebrities overseas, often to Africa, to attempt to make some small impact in the epidemic. We have struggled with the dichotomy of two virtual epidemics: one here and the other overseas. If we are truly our brother's keepers, how can we begrudge anyone helping our brothers and sisters in the "motherland"? No one will discount the devastation of HIV in Africa.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57659.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:27:00 GMT "The End of the Beginning": Thoughts on Poverty and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57572.html With yesterday's release of the CDC's report on the relationship between poverty and HIV, and another study on morbidity and mortality released by the University of California, Day Three of the International AIDS Conference of 2010 began on a more somber note. To be blunt: It's about Poverty, stupid.

While the CDC's report demonstrated a clear link between HIV infection and poverty in urban centers, the UC report focused on dramatically heightened mortality rates of 'disadvantaged' (read: poor black folks) who have been linked to care and started on state of the art antiretroviral therapy -- rates that were in excess of third world countries. None of the deceased patients ever received viral suppression, despite robust supportive and case management services to help them. In short, even getting low income minorities into care is, as Winston Churchill would say (and I paraphrase); 'is not the end, is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning.'

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57572.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:23:00 GMT How Much Slack Should Activists Give Obama? Thoughts on Bill Clinton's Speech at AIDS 2010 http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57511.html Day two of the International AIDS Conference of 2010 began with a bang: an address at the opening plenary by former President Bill Clinton. As expected, it was standing room only. Prior to today, I had only gotten a glimpse of the sheer number of delegates present. However, it was at the Clinton address that I began to see just how many people are here. It is truly amazing -- so many people of different hues, nationalities, and roles: physicians, researchers, representatives from government and non government entities, and, of course, people living with the virus.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/confs/aids2010/art57511.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:18:00 GMT First Reflections From the XVIII International AIDS Conference http://www.thebody.com/content/art57486.html It's day one of the International AIDS Conference of 2010, but day three for me in Vienna, Austria. This is a time of "firsts" for me. This is my first International AIDS Conference and my first time travelling to Europe. I am attending the conference as a delegate of BTAN, the Black Treatment Advocates Network of the Black AIDS Institute. My day job is as the executive director of BEBASHI -- Transition to Hope, the first black AIDS services organization in the country, which is, this year, commemorating its 25th anniversary. I was honored to be chosen for this important job that will include a three-year commitment, and will involve creating a treatment advocate/education initiative in Philadelphia.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art57486.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:34:00 GMT Does Pregnancy Pose an HIV Infection Risk for Men? http://www.thebody.com/content/art57071.html We used to call it venereal disease. Many preferred the more common term: "The Clap." Eventually, a more appropriate term evolved: sexually transmitted disease. Recently, the term "disease" has been exchanged for "infection." Whatever name it was called, we all knew that Gonorrhea, while embarrassing and painful, was also curable. In other words, many felt that is was just a minor inconvenience.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art57071.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 27 May 2010 08:34:00 GMT New Developments in HIV Eradication http://www.thebody.com/content/art57057.html

One of the most persistent myths about the HIV epidemic is that the government (or the other perceived villain-pharmaceutical companies) have discovered a cure but that, for whatever reasons, have not made it available. This reasoning fails to take into account the complexity of vaccine development in general, not to mention the unique challenge of curing HIV. One of the crucial steps to finding a cure involves eradicating all of the virus from the body. Complicating this are stubborn reservoirs of HIV that remain in the body and seem out of reach of antiretroviral medication. These reservoirs consist of old CD4 cells that preserve latent HIV throughout the body, essentially storing, or 'archiving' it for decades. Therefore, even though antiretroviral medication may significantly reduce viral reproduction and clear the host of most HIV virus, they never completely purge HIV from the body. When the medication is interrupted or ceases its effectiveness, because of viral resistance, this reservoir can become reactivated, ensuring more viral replication and eventually, more illness. Therefore, the inability to eradicate HIV from the body has been the main stumbling block towards finding a cure.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art57057.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 20 May 2010 07:07:00 GMT A New Super Villain: Gonorrhea? http://www.thebody.com/content/art56447.html We used to call it venereal disease. Many preferred the more common term: "The Clap." Eventually, a more appropriate term evolved: sexually transmitted disease. Recently, the term "disease" has been exchanged for "infection." Whatever name it was called, we all knew that Gonorrhea, while embarrassing and painful, was also curable. In other words, many felt that is was just a minor inconvenience.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art56447.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:16:00 GMT African-American Women and STIs http://www.thebody.com/content/art56138.html Recent news has not been kind about women and girls of color and their sexual health. In 2008, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study reported that almost one-half of adolescent black females were infected with at least on STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). Now, new evidence has further documented the impact of STIs on women and girls of color. According to the CDC, 48 percent of black women between ages 14 and 49 have the virus which causes genital herpes. Blacks in general are more than three times as likely as whites to have herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) (39.2 percent vs. 12.3 percent). Biological factors make women more susceptible to genital herpes than men. American women in general are nearly twice as likely as men to be infected (21 percent vs. 11 percent). Moreover, up to 80 percent of genital herpes infections in the United States are undiagnosed.

The news is no better on the local front. A recent report from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health revealed a dramatic 238% increase in primary and secondary cases of Syphilis in females. Many of the cases in females occurred in adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years old.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art56138.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:50:00 GMT Don't Believe the Hype http://www.thebody.com/content/art55428.html I recently ended a very frustrating e-mail correspondence with a well meaning, yet uninformed woman who originally contacted me to sing the praises of a herbalist who she claims has cured HIV (and lupus and cancer, by the way). In response to my polite skepticism, she directed me to his website where the "documentation" of his alleged success (and no doubt the pictures from his Nobel prize for medicine) could be found. Needless to say, I found no concrete evidence that his treatments cured anything, let alone HIV. Most troubling was her insistence that his claims were "proven." It reminds me of another conversation with a gentleman who read a book written by a dietitian who claimed that he had evidence that there was no link between HIV and AIDS. Supporting his claim were 1500 people who placed their name in the book indicating support of this theory. Not one, of course, held any reputable position at any research institution or university.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art55428.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:21:35 GMT World AIDS Day Was on December 1, 2009 -- Did You Notice? http://www.thebody.com/content/art55058.html Each year, despite the ever growing AIDS epidemic, it seems that media coverage of World AIDS Day steadily decreases. Started on December 1, 1988, the objective of World AIDS Day has been to increase awareness about the AIDS epidemic, raise money and to help to dispel the myths, sterotypes and prejudices that continue to abound. The theme for this year's World AIDS Day theme was 'Universal Access and Human Rights'.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art55058.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:27:21 GMT Obama Lifts HIV Travel Ban http://www.thebody.com/content/art54671.html On October 30, 2009, President Barack Obama announced that the United States would be doing away with its 20-year-old ban preventing people living with HIV/AIDS from entering the country. The U.S. has been one of about a dozen countries that bar HIV-positive travelers. The change will officially take place starting January 1, 2010, after a 60-day waiting period. The ban was established in 1987 when there was widespread fear and ignorance about HIV. The federal government's tried to eliminate the ban in 1991, but was thwarted by Congress. In 1993, Congress made HIV infection the only medical condition specifically listed as ground for inadmissibility to the U.S.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art54671.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:19:21 GMT Demonizing HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art53788.html AIDS activists have been buzzing lately about a new German HIV awareness advertisement depicting a woman having sex with Adolph Hitler. By now, I am sure you are wondering: what does the Fuhrer have to do with AIDS? Well, in the ad, which is available online, a heterosexual couple is seen having sex. The man's face becomes that of Adolph Hitler followed by a slogan describing AIDS as a "mass murderer. Print versions of the campaign also use Saddam Hussein as well as other despots. The company that created the campaign, Das Comitee, defended the advertisement stating that it was meant to show "the ugliness of the illness."

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art53788.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:19:47 GMT HIV Testing http://www.thebody.com/content/art53499.html Few would argue that HIV testing is one of the most vital tools in addressing the HIV epidemic. But, does everyone feel that way, or even understand the significance of knowing his/her HIV status. A recent study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation (June 2009) found that despite efforts to encourage more HIV testing, including making it a part of routine medical care, "reported rates of HIV testing have remained flat over time." In fact, the share of non-elderly (ages 13-64) who report having been tested within the last year has not changed in over a decade. Although some groups, such as African Americans, Latinos and young adults are more likely to report having been tested, even their rates have remained virtually unchanged over the last several years. In 2009, less than one-half of the adults in the United States say that they have ever been tested.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art53499.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:50:40 GMT Zoonoses http://www.thebody.com/content/art53144.html Confused? I had not heard of that word either, until I did a little research for this blog about animal to human disease transmission. Zoonoses are emerging infectious diseases that have transferred to humans from animal hosts. I embarked on this research after learning of the discovery of a new HIV strain thought to have originated from gorillas native to Cameroon.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art53144.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 5 Aug 2009 21:31:04 GMT Men Are Driving the HIV Epidemic http://www.thebody.com/content/art53145.html A new report published in Healthday News on Jun 29, 2009, has found that almost 15 percent of American adolescents believe that they will die before age 35, a belief that may be strongly linked to unsafe behavior. Greater than one in seven youths have a pessimistic view about their future mortality and are more likely to take risks.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art53145.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:31:04 GMT Adolescent Hopelessness and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art52723.html A new report published in Healthday News on Jun 29, 2009, has found that almost 15 percent of American adolescents believe that they will die before age 35, a belief that may be strongly linked to unsafe behavior. Greater than one in seven youths have a pessimistic view about their future mortality and are more likely to take risks.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art52723.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:31:04 GMT Obama and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art52596.html As with most things it's a good news, bad news scenario. Clearly, Obama is more in tune with the AIDS epidemic than his predecessor. He has proposed a budget increase for domestic HIV prevention and direct services.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art52596.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Tue, 7 Jul 2009 17:31:04 GMT Transition to Hope http://www.thebody.com/content/art52509.html My name is Gary J. Bell and I am the executive director of BEBASHI (Blacks Educating Blacks About Sexual Health). Founded in 1985, BEBASHI was the country's first AIDS services organization targeting urban minority communities. We offer a continuum of HIV/AIDS/STI prevention and direct care services primarily in the Philadelphia metropolitan area.

]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art52509.html garyb@bebashi.org (Gary Bell) Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:31:04 GMT