A cross-section of articles we've read this week about HIV/AIDS, STIs and a wide cross-section of structural and systemic factors impacting HIV/AIDS in Black communities.
Science
Blood Thinning Drug Helps in Understanding a Natural HIV Barrier
A blood thinning agent is helping researchers at the University of East Anglia understand more about the body's natural barriers to HIV.
Treatment
Along with Antiretroviral Medications, Doctors May Prescribe Exercise for People with HIV
In addition to antiretroviral medications, people with HIV may soon begin receiving a home exercise plan from their doctors, according to a researcher. An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States live with HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Miscellaneous
Blake Brockington, Transgender Homecoming King, Dies From Apparent Suicide: Report
A year after Blake Brockington was voted homecoming king at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, the transgender teen died from an apparent suicide, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday. Brockington, 18, was the school's first transgender homecoming king.
Canada: PrEP Use Now Could Save Considerable Sums in the Future
A Canadian paper that weighs the cost of using pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infections against the lifetime total cost of one HIV infection finds that, using figures available for Quebec and Ontario provinces, PrEP would be cost-saving under most scenarios, even if the overall lifetime cost of HIV care falls in the future.
Half Of Atlanta's Newly Diagnosed HIV Patients Have AIDS, Grady Testing Finds
Atlanta is ranked No. 5 among U.S. cities when it comes to the rate of new diagnoses of HIV.
Experts say that's because routine HIV testing is not offered in the places where most people get their health care. By the time patients are diagnosed in Atlanta, almost one-third have advanced to clinical AIDS.
Health Care Systems Try to Cut Costs by Aiding the Poor and Troubled
MINNEAPOLIS - Jerome Pate, a homeless alcoholic, went to the emergency room when he was cold. He went when he needed a safe place to sleep. He went when he was hungry, or drunk, or suicidal.
HIV Conspiracy Theories and the Black Community
Imagine a phenomenon that elicits distress and shame by simply mentioning its name. With heightened social anxiety, preexisting stigmas and correlations between risk factors, miseducation and distrust, HIV/AIDS is a phenomenon that has spawned rumors and conspiracy theories. From conflicting statements on transmission, to claims of the existence of a secret cure, skeptical narratives about HIV/AIDS still exist. The practice of HIV prevention can be at the mercy of these rumors and conspiracy theories, and those disproportionately affected by this epidemic are often the most difficult to convince that these misinformed notions can be life threatening.
Indiana to Declare Public Health Emergency Over HIV Outbreak
SCOTTSBURG, Ind. (AP) - Faced with a growing HIV outbreak tied to intravenous drug use, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said Wednesday he's considering a needle-exchange program as part of a public health emergency he's preparing to declare in a county that's at the epicenter of the cases.
US Officials: Military Worries About Easing Transgender Ban
U.S. military leaders have expressed reservations about any move to lift the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the armed forces, an issue since Defense Secretary Ash Carter's suggestion that he is open to the idea, officials say.
Zoe Saldana Calls LGBTQ Protest of Dolce & Gabbana 'Stupidest Thing Ever'
Actress Zoe Saldana, who was the center of controversy for playing Nina Simone in an upcoming biopic, may be in the hot seat again. This time with the LGBTQ community.
