HIV, Teens and Young Adults

posted: 04/05/2010

The HIV Young Persons Network has new guidelines to support the care and health needs of HIV positive young people. They welcome your comments – so there’s time have your say before the deadline on Friday 28 May.
 

Guidance on the management of sexual and reproductive health for adolescents living with HIV 2010

Appendicies

from HYPNet / CHIVA
 

The writing group welcome your email comments by Friday 28th May
 

Here's what you will find

1. Contributors
2. Scope and purpose of guidance and  existing guidelines 
3. Definitions
4. Epidemiology
5. HIV Transmission - HIV Transmission risks, Routes of HIV transmission, Factors which increase the risk of HIV transmission, Factors which decrease the risk of HIV transmission, HIV transmission risk when stable on HAART and viral load undetectable (Swiss Statement)
6. Consent and Confidentiality - The legal framework on consent confidentiality and child protection, Assessment of Fraser / Gillick Competency in sexually active under-18 year olds, The Sexual Offences Act 2003,  Healthcare professionals working with sexually active adolescents – the legal position
7. Disclosure - Disclosure of HIV status and Criminalisation, Disclosure of HIV status to other people, Disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners
8. Sexual health education - Sexual health needs of HIV-Positive adolescents, Negotiating sexual relationships, Psychosocial issues and services available, Sexual Assault
9. Talking about sexual health - How to start talking about sexual health, Checklist for sexual health discussion,  Taking a Sexual History
10. Service Provision - Service Provision for sexual health, sexually transmitted disease screening, contraception and conception advice, Types of tests offered and obtaining results
11. Genital conditions – there’s a separate section for each STI
12. Partner notification for STIs
13. Interaction between HIV transmission and STIs
14. Vaccination prior to sexual activity - Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human papilloma virus vaccination
15. Cervical screening 
16. Reproductive Health - Fertility, Conception, Pregnancy and HIV, Emergency contraception, Contraception including long acting reversible contraception (LARC), Drug interactions between HAART and STI treatment and contraception
17. Links to existing Guidelines / Guidance
18. Useful agencies, links, information for adolescents, parents, carers and PHCP
19. References
20. Appendices - Appendix 1 Talking to HIV-Positive Adolescents about Sexual Health, Appendix 2 Assessment of under-16 year-olds who are planning to have consensual sex, Appendix 3 Sexual history Proformas for males and females, Appendix 4 Discussion and sexual history with adolescents when a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is diagnosed, Appendix 5 Sexually Transmitted Infections and Young People in the United Kingdom: 2008 HPA Report, Appendix 6 Checklist for Sexual Health education for HIV-infected adolescents before and after sexual activity commences, APPENDIX 7 Emergency Contraception Proforma.

December Teens Meet

posted: 13/10/2009

There will be a youth conference for young people living with HIV in early December, to mark World AIDS Day 2009. The Children and Young People’s HIV Network hope around 100 young people aged between 13-18 from all over the UK will attend the day in London. It's on Friday 4th December.

They plan a panel discussion in the morning and interactive peer-led workshops in the afternoon; workshops will be about things like relationships, disclosure and the future.

Time and place

11.30am – 4.00pm
At NCVO, not far from Euston station
 

Social after

This is a great opportunity for young people to meet others living with HIV from all over the UK, and they hope to have a small social event straight after the conference.

Travel paid

They’ll pay travel expenses for people coming from outside of London but people will need to travel with a key worker (if a key worker can't be arranged please give Maria a call and she will try to sort this).

Booking

The booking form needs filling out and returning to NCB either by email or post. Once they have the form they'll book your place, contact you to arrange travel (if necessary), and send you further information about the day including a form for choosing the workshop you want.

Booking form

For more information please email Maria or call her on 0207 843 1911.
 

Don't Prosecute HIV Young People

posted: 09/03/2009

Young people living with HIV should not face the threat of prosecution for passing on HIV, leading HIV charities are urging.

A conference at the end of February looked at the impact of prosecutions for HIV transmission on young people. At least one person under 18 has been investigated and the recent report, Policing Transmission, included a review of one case.

Now HIV charities are lobbying the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to clarify guidelines for charging young people with the offence.

The move follows the London conference at the National Children's Bureau, attended by George House Trust and Barnardo's, which discussed the prosecution prospects and the harm caused to young people living with HIV.

Prosecutions opposed

George House Trust is opposed to HIV transmission prosecutions in principle because they cause far more harm than good to public health. They worsen stigma, shaming and blaming around HIV and make it less likely people will be tested early and start treatment on time, which are the most effective ways of stopping the spread of HIV.

Young people with HIV have all been infected through mother to baby transmission (which is now rare). This is the first generation of teenagers with HIV and as pioneers the young people have had a particularly tough time. Some are vulnerable and have been looked after by the state. Some have learning difficulties as a result of HIV.

Any teenager has a tough time growing into the world of sex and relationships amid raging hormones, and having HIV makes this far more complicated. In the view of the charities at the conference, prosecutions of teenagers for HIV transmission would not be in the public interest.

The charities at the conference called on the Crown Prosecution Service guidelines on prosecution for sexual transmission of disease to ban prosecutions of all teenagers and other young people.

Don't Forget the Children

posted: 16/12/2008

After a teenager died in Luton still untested, undiagnosed teenagers and children were the focus for the Children's HIV Association Conference earlier this month. The conference looked into learning the lessons from this.

There is a small but significant number of older children and teenagers who are untested and some are undiagnosed. This is not in a child's best interests as the Luton death demonstrates. What needs doing?

The presentations from the conference are now available on the BHIVA website.

• Introduction: Why are we here? Dr Chris Wood, North Middlesex University Hospital, London
• The UK epidemiology of undiagnosed HIV infection in Children Dr Pat Tookey, Institute of Child Health
• The Luton data: do parents get their children tested? Dr Michael Eisenhut
• Late diagnosis of perinatally acquired HIV Dr Katia Prime, St George's Hospital NHS Trust, London
• Consequences of undiagnosed HIV in children Dr Hermione Lyall, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London
• Children's rights: a legal overview Professor Jane Fortin, University of Sussex
• Safeguarding children: what if parents won't test the children? Ms Sally Parma, Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service, London Borough of Enfield
• A straightforward approach to testing children for HIV Dr Djamel Hamadache, Chelsea and Westminister Hospital, London
• Case studies: barriers to testing - difficult situations and successes Dr Justin Daniels, North Middlesex University Hospital, London
• National HIV testing guidelines 2008 Dr Adrian Palfreeman, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
• Getting to grips with testing children: protocols and procedures Dr Justin Daniels, North Middlesex University Hospital, London
• Spreading the word: developing best practice, and setting standards Dr Chris Wood, North Middlesex University Hospital, London