Hear Results of Euro Sex Survey

posted: 27/04/2011

Come and find out the results from the biggest every survey of gay men's sex lives. In summer 2010 over 1650 men from North-West England (800+ in Greater Manchester), took part in the online European gay men’s sex survey. 180,000 gay and bi men across Europe joined in – the world’s biggest survey of gay men's sex lives and life.

Find out what’s going on
On Tuesday 31 May in the early evening, at LGF in the heart of Manchester’s gay village, you can find out

• A bit about this Europe-wide survey
• Find out what’s going on across Europe
• See how the UK compares with other countries
• Find out how NW England measures up to other UK regions
   

Over about two hours there will be a mix of Presentations, Question and Answers, and Group Discussions.
 

Welcome to all interested in gay men's sexlives and HIV prevention needs

It’s open to everyone interested – people from the gay community, people interested in HIV prevention for men who have sex with men, people providing or commissioning health and social services, gay community organisation staff and volunteers, clinic and social services staff, gay businesses, helpline and switchboard workers, gay youth groups, …..
 

Book your seat by Friday 20 May
Refreshments and nibbles provided, and it’s free – you just need to book so there’ll be enough room, nibbles and refreshments for all
There’s a simple booking form HERE you email back to Shaun at LGF 
All he needs to know is your name and an email address and tell him you want to come to the GMSS Seminar on 31 May. If you work for an organisation he would like to know your organisation's name and your work email.

When and where

The evening is on Tuesday 31st May, it starts at 5.30pm and ends 7.30pm
Lesbian & Gay Foundation, 5 Richmond Street, Manchester, M1 3HF
 

Survey Results for anyone who wants to do some homework and ask smarter questions, here are the results for NW England

All the UK results are here

The rest of Europe, by country is here

Search HIV Conference Papers

posted: 18/04/2011

The Global Forum on Men who have Sex with Men and HIV (MSMGF) have produced a useful searchable online catalogue of all the papers presented at the last International AIDS Conference, held in Vienna - AIDS 2010 - concerning men who have sex with men (MSM) including transgender people.
 

Searchable catalogue of conference abstracts - you can search by global region, sub-populations (groups affected), and themes.
Here’s the list of search categories to make it easier to find what is available.
 

Sub-population (affected groups)
• Bisexual / MSMW
• Ethnic Minorities
• Incarcerated Individuals
• LGBT
• Migrant, Immigrant
• MSM
• Older Sexual Minorities
• People Living with HIV
• People Who Use Drugs
• Rural Populations
• Sex Workers
• Transgender
• Youth
HIV issues
• Access to Services
• Care & Treatment
• Condom Use
• Education
• Epidemiology
• Government AIDS Programs
• HIV & AIDS
• Prevention Interventions (ARV-Based)
• Prevention Interventions (Behavioural)
• Prevention Interventions (General)
• Resilience
• Risk Factors
• Testing
Cross-Cutting Themes / Issues
• Advocacy
• Capacity-Building Assistance
• Civil Society
• Funding
• Gender
• Health (Non-HIV)
• Human Rights
• Mental Health
• Policy and Legislation
• Recreational Drugs
• Religion
• Research
• Self-Identification
• Sexuality
• Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Stigma / Discrimination
• Structural Interventions
• Tools & Trainings
• Violence
 

Searchable catalogue of conference abstracts

Your HIV Aware Ideas?

posted: 20/10/2010

What would people around us do differently if they were HIV aware? For this year’s World AIDS day (Wednesday 1 December) people living with HIV are asked to suggest ways people can show they are ‘HIV aware’.
 

This year's UK World AIDS day theme is Act Aware and it is all about taking action to tackle HIV prejudice and to protect yourself and others from HIV transmission.

Making the world HIV friendly
NAT (hosting the UK World AIDS Day website) plan to encourage people to visit the World AIDS Day website and make a personal pledge about how they will Act Aware.

Wanted: your suggestions
That’s how people with HIV can help – NAT want your suggestions of the sort of things you would like to see people do in a HIV-friendly world.

All NAT want is a short sentence for World AIDS Day. It’s really easy – write your words on this page

The suggestions and pledges will inspire people to do something to Act Aware and make our world more HIV friendly. You can give a name and location, or be anonymous.

What people living with HIV have already suggested on the website ...
 

I would like to see society's attitudes change, so that I don't feel that I have to hide the fact that I have HIV     Alan, London
 

I would like people who are living with HIV whom are confident to do so, to share their own stories about how they have overcome the barriers and challenges of living their everyday lives      Danny
 

I would like everyone to think seriously about HIV and what it means to live with HIV - and therefore be realistic, aware and practical when it comes to safer sex      Maurice, London
 

I would like there to be a focus on education and stigma within younger groups of people, with attention paid to cultural differences and needs      Richard
 

I would like to see more positive role models of people living with HIV      Danny

Please either add yours to this webpage OR e-mail it to NAT 

World AIDS Day 2010 – Act Aware

5M Still Waiting for Treatment

posted: 01/10/2009

Although four million people are now receiving antiretroviral treatment in low and middle-income countries, another five million adults and children lack access to treatment, according to figures released today by United Nations agencies.

The report Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector is published by the World Health Organization, UNAIDS and UNICEF, and is the third annual review of international progress towards the goal of universal access to treatment and prevention by 2010.

Although more than a million people are estimated to have been enrolled into treatment programmes during 2008 alone, the biggest annual increase since treatment scale-up began, only 42% of those in need of treatment in low and middle-income countries are currently being reached.

Mothers and babies

The report also reveals major gaps in two priority areas, the prevention of mother to child transmission and treatment of children.

The report estimates that 21% of pregnant women received an HIV test in 2008, and 45% received drugs to prevent mother to child transmission, of whom around one-third received only single-dose nevirapine, the least effective form of preventive treatment. Only one-third of those who tested positive were assessed for eligibility for antiretroviral treatment for their own health.

Although 38% of children with HIV in low- and middle-income countries in need of treatment received it, infant diagnosis continues to lag behind. In 41 reporting low- and middle-income countries only 15% of children born to HIV-infected mothers were tested for HIV within the first two months of life.

Background to universal access
In 2001 the convening of The United Nations Special Session on HIV/AIDS marked an historic beginning. For the first time a global set of targets was agreed in response to the crisis. In 2006 at the second United Nations General Assembly High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, countries agreed to work towards the goal of “universal access to comprehensive prevention programmes, treatment, care and support” by 2010. The G8 Final declaration in L’Aquila, Italy in July 2009 claimed “We will implement further efforts towards universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010”

WHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS in collaboration with other international monitoring and reporting mechanisms have been monitoring progress, nationally, regionally and globally, of the health sector’s response to HIV. The report presented today is the third in a series of annual progress reports towards universal access that includes HIV services for women and children.

Reports standardised

WHO together with UNICEF developed a joint reporting tool to request information from national programmes to collect data on the scale-up of health sector interventions in response to HIV. The goal of this process is to facilitate the collection of a standardised set of information.

By the end of 2008 between 3.7 and 4.3 million people were on antiretroviral treatment including an estimated 275,700 children (38% of those in need) under the age of 15 years.

Progress varies by country and region. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, where two-thirds of all global infections occur, an estimated 2.9 million people were on treatment by the end of 2008, with an approximate increase of 800,000 people during 2008.

edited from aidsmap

Reference
WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS. Towards universal access: scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in the health sector. September 2009.

Our 25th Anniversary Conference

posted: 01/10/2009

As part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, George House Trust will be holding a one day National HIV Social Care conference Still Living With HIV: Building Together for Tomorrow. 

It will be on Tuesday 20th April 2010 and put on in association with the BHIVA / BASHH Conference that is being held here on the following few days - 21 – 23 April.

The conference will be held at Manchester Central Conference Centre in the heart of Manchester.

What's On?

The conference will focus on planning for the future and the changing needs of people living with HIV. It will consider the impact of the recession, the general election, the ageing population; the ongoing effect of HIV related stigma, and positive prevention strategies.

Who's talking?

Speakers include Titise Kode, Chief Executive Officer of the African HIV Policy Network; Baroness Gould, Chair of the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health; Ford Hickson of Sigma Research; Dr Ed Wilkins, Clinicial Director of Infectious Diseases at North Manchester General Hospital; and Michael Carter, Patient Information Editor at NAM.
 

The formal publicity will be available at the end of this month, October and we will be sending out the programme and booking form mid-November. Meanwhile you can put the date in your diary - Tuesday 20 April, with BHIVA/BASHH following on the 21-23rd.