Kaisernetwork.org (Washington, DC)
23 July 2008
Public Health & Education
CDC To Release Revised HIV/AIDS Estimates Next Month
[Jul 23, 2008]
CDC on Tuesday announced that it will release new estimates of annual HIV incidence in the U.S. in the Aug. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Reuters reports. "These new incidence estimates are based on direct measurement of new HIV infections and will provide the clearest picture to date of incidence," the agency said (Fox, Reuters, 7/22).
CDC for more than 10 years reported that 40,000 new HIV infections occur annually in the U.S. and said that the HIV epidemic in the U.S. is stable. In recent years, the agency has developed new testing technology and has updated its methodology to yield more accurate data (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 12/3/07).
When announcing the release of the new data, CDC said, "These more precise estimates are possible now only because of breakthrough technology developed by CDC that can distinguish recent from long-standing HIV infections." The agency added that because the system is new, it had to "receive rigorous scientific review." In addition, the "process took longer than we anticipated, but, in the end, it had produced estimates that are more reliable and scientifically sound than would have occurred without the independent review," CDC said (Reuters, 7/22).
A new CDC fact sheet on HIV/AIDS surveillance is available online.
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Washington Post Examines HIV/AIDS Among Hispanics in U.S.
[Jul 23, 2008]
HIV/AIDS among the Hispanic community in the U.S. is reaching what some public health experts are calling a "simmering public health crisis," the Washington Post reports.
According to the Post, Hispanics account for about 14% of the U.S. population but represented 22% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2006. However, the 22% figure includes data from only 33 states and Puerto Rico, so the actual percentage could be higher, the Post reports (Connolly, Washington Post, 7/23). According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's statehealthfacts.org, Hispanics living in Washington, D.C., have the highest rate of new HIV/AIDS cases nationwide -- about 109.2 cases per every 100,000 people (Constable, Washington Post, 7/23). In addition, as many as one in four Hispanic men who have sex with men who live in major U.S. cities are HIV-positive.
According to the Post, language difficulties, cultural barriers and legal issues associated with immigration make the Hispanic community unique in terms of providing HIV prevention, education and treatment. Only two of 17 CDC programs target Hispanics, but the agency has implemented a Spanish-language hotline, confidential testing sites and other initiatives aimed at addressing HIV/AIDS among the Hispanic population. "Hispanics are overrepresented in this epidemic, and we need to target our efforts to them," CDC epidemiologist Kenneth Dominguez said.
Frank Galvan of the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science said that the U.S. needs to "make a dent" in reducing HIV/AIDS among Hispanics or the epidemic "will continue to spread to other populations." Oscar De La O, president of the Hispanic service group Bienestar, said U.S. officials "need to stop downplaying or ignoring what's happening among" Hispanics. De La O added that he is concerned U.S. immigration policies toward HIV-positive people will create "another underground in which [HIV-positive] people cannot access treatment but will not leave the country."
According to the Post, the "nexus of AIDS and migration" will "gain fresh prominence" next month at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. "Migrants tend to be lonely, separated from their family or partners," Dominguez said, adding, "They do not have health insurance. They may turn to drugs or alcohol. All of these put a migrant at higher risk."
This Post story also profiles Hispanics affected by HIV/AIDS in the U.S. The article was supported by a Kaiser Family Foundation mini reporting fellowship (Connolly, Washington Post, 7/23). In addition, a second Post article profiled the group La Clinica del Pueblo and its efforts to provide HIV education and prevention to Hispanics living in the district (Constable, Washington Post, 7/23).
Kaisernetwork.org is the official webcaster of the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Click here to sign up for your Daily Update e-mail during the conference.
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Global Challenges
International AIDS Conference Announces Speakers for Mexico City Event
[Jul 23, 2008]
The XVII International AIDS Conference on Monday announced some of the world leaders, researchers and advocates who will participate in next month's conference in Mexico City, Bangladesh's New Nation reports (New Nation, 7/22). About 25,000 people are expected to participate in the conference, which will take place from Aug. 3 to Aug. 8. Speakers at the conference include:
Mexican President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa;
Mexican Secretary of Health Jose Angel Cordova Villalobos;
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon;
Director-General of the World Health Organization Margaret Chan;
UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot;
Advocate Mony Pen;
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis Denzil Douglas;
Former President of Botswana Festus Mogae;
First Vice-President of Spain Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega;
Youth advocate Keren Gonzalez;
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton;
President of the Carso Health Institute and Senior Fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Julio Frenk;
NIAID Director Anthony Fauci;
Mark Harrington of the Treatment Action Group;
Vuyiseka Dubula of the Treatment Action Campaign; and
Frika Chia Iskandar of the Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (AIDS 2008 release, 7/21).
Clinton Announces Africa Trip Ahead of AIDS Conference
In related news, Clinton on Tuesday announced that he will travel to Africa ahead of the AIDS conference to promote HIV/AIDS and malaria programs run by the Clinton Foundation, AFP/Google.com reports. Clinton said that he will begin the trip next week with visits to Ethiopia, Liberia, Rwanda and Senegal, where he will meet with local officials and foundation staff. He added that on his way back to the U.S., he will attend the Mexico City AIDS conference. "This year, I am excited to take our work to the next level with new projects that will make a tremendous difference in turning the tide of HIV/AIDS, improve lives and help people work toward a brighter future," Clinton said (AFP/Google.com, 7/22).
Kaisernetwork.org is the official webcaster of the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Click here to sign up for your Daily Update email during the conference.
Link to this story.
Sexual Taboos Hampering HIV/AIDS Efforts in Pakistan, Study Says
[Jul 23, 2008]
Taboos about sex in Pakistan make it difficult to address HIV/AIDS and are hindering efforts to curb the spread of the disease, according to a study published recently in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, the New York Times reports. According to the study, seven times as many men as women are reported to be living with HIV in Pakistan, and UNAIDS says that at least 85,000 people are HIV-positive in the country. The study, conducted by researchers from two universities in Pakistan, says that although India and Bangladesh have similarly conservative Muslim cultures, those two countries have more openly addressed HIV/AIDS.
Many people in Pakistan believe that HIV/AIDS is not an issue in Muslim countries because Islamic law forbids sex outside marriage, the researchers said, adding that sex education therefore is rare in the country. In addition, sexual relationships between men and networks of male sex workers do exist, according to the study. Specialized subcultures of hijiras and zenanas are now a "highly stigmatized group" of men who dress as women and are the receptive partners in anal sex, the researchers wrote, adding that there are areas where it is traditional to use young boys as sex partners. According to the study, the use of condoms, which cannot be displayed in stores, is low, and some sex workers believe that HIV is "divine punishment" for their actions (McNeil, New York Times, 7/22).
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