A cross-section of articles we've read this week about HIV/AIDS, STIs and a wide cross-sectiond of structural and systemic factors impacting HIV/AIDS in Black communities.

MSM

Sex Prevalent in Prison Incarcerated Black Men Report, Posing Challenges for HIV Prevention, Treatment 

Nov. 11, 2013 - Black men, vastly overrepresented among the prison population, comprise a high proportion of HIV-positive inmates and pose an infection risk to other inmates as well as members of their communities once they're released.

Stigma Increases HIV Infections Among Young Black Gay Men 

It's one thing to read that the rate of HIV infection continues to be alarmingly high among African-American young men. It's quite another to give it a name and a place.

Prevention

New Anti-HIV & Birth Control Ring Begins Trials Soon 

A brand new intravaginal ring (IVR) has shown exciting promise in both protecting against unwanted pregnancy and HIV. The ring has been engineered to release tenofovir and levonorgestrel - the first time both these drugs and the unique IVR delivery have been used in tandem. (Tenofovir, when in gel form, is the only compound that has been shown to protect against the sexual transmission of HIV. Levonogestrel is a hormone already used in contraceptives.)

Miscellaneous

Being a Bully Linked to Casual, Risky Sex 

Teens who bully other kids, or are both bullies and bullied themselves, are more likely to engage in risky sex, according to a new study. That's especially the case among heterosexual teens, researchers say.

Con Men Prey on Confusion Over Health Care Act 

To the list of problems plaguing President Obama's health care law, add one more - fraud.

Cuts in Hospital Subsidies Threaten Safety-Net Care 

A government subsidy critical to the survival of hospitals treating large numbers of poor patients is being sharply reduced under the new health law.

Experts Reshape Treatment Guide for Cholesterol 

The nation's leading heart organizations released new guidelines on Tuesday that will fundamentally reshape the use of cholesterol-lowering statin medicines, which are now prescribed for a quarter of Americans over 40. Patients on statins will no longer need to lower their cholesterol levels to specific numerical targets monitored by regular blood tests, as has been recommended for decades. Simply taking the right dose of a statin will be sufficient, guidelines say.

False Reports Say Bisexuals Have Same HIV Risk as Straights 

Following a confusingly constructed press release from the University of Pittsburgh, multiple media outlets have erroneously reported that the risk of HIV for bisexual men in the United States is comparable to the risk for heterosexual men. The incorrect reports, in outlets including Medical Daily and WebMD, essentially turn on a confusion between the number of HIV infections among hetero- versus homosexuals, and the rate of infection in each respective group.

Magic Johnson's Wife Cookie Stands Up for Openly Gay Son EJ 

Magic Johnson's wife Cookie defended her son E.J.'s decision to come out of the closet as a gay man publicly during a recent interview with Huff Post Live.

Problems with Federal Health Portal Also Stymie Medicaid Enrollment 

WASHINGTON - Problems with the federal health insurance website have prevented tens of thousands of low-income people from signing up for Medicaid even though they are eligible, federal and state officials say, undermining one of the chief goals of the 2010 health care law.

Some State Insurance Exchanges Continue to Battle Technical Problems 

Six weeks into the rollout of President Obama's new health care law, some of the online insurance exchanges run by states are continuing to have serious technological problems, often mirroring the issues plaguing the much larger federal exchange.

U.S. Girls Keep Hitting Puberty Earlier 

(Reuters Health) - Girls are developing breasts at younger and younger ages, a new study confirms. And upward trends in childhood obesity seem to be playing a major role.

Uneven Gains in AIDS/HIV in Different Populations 

A quarter century ago, when the AIDS epidemic was at its peak in the United States, HIV was the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 25 to 44. Now, with new treatment options, it's the sixth-leading cause of death for that group, and the number of new diagnoses each year is less than half of what it once was.

Why Insurers Cancel Policies, and What You Can Do When It Happens 

News that health insurers are ending the policies of what could be millions of Americans has rattled consumers and added to the debate over the health care law.