HIV Australia 2013

ABIGAIL GROVES critiques a collection of essays looking towards an ‘AIDS free generation’.

ATTAPON ED NGOSKIN explores links between HIV, self-esteem and risk taking among young men who have sex with men and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific.

BROOKE SHEPHERD profiles a sexual health outreach program that is taking sexual health messages out on the road.

ANDREW C STONE and ELIZABETH MLAMBO outline a framework of engagement to support the sexual health of young people from culturally diverse backgrounds.

JENNY WALSH asks what is the right age for children to begin learning about sex?

JAMES MAY reports on the current state of sex education in Australian schools and says it’s time for change.

CHRISTY NEWMAN and ASHA PERSSON critique some common assumptions made in international literature about HIV-positive adolescents transitioning to adult care and discuss upcoming Australian qualitative research into the issues.

ANGELA MILLER, JOHN ZIEGLER and PAMELA PALASANTHIRAN chart the history of HIV among children in Australia.

FINN O’KEEFE hears a good news story about coming out as HIV-positive on Facebook.

WILLS LOGUE traces the development of a multimedia health promotion campaign developed by and for young same-sex attracted me.

ALDO SPINA examines whether the extension of existing peer-education models into regional and rural areas is the most effective approach.

JAMES GRAY, THOMAS MUNRO and MICHAEL YATES discuss peer-driven health promotion approaches to address HIV among young gay men.

In this article, the Kirby Institute provides a snapshot of the latest surveillance data on sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and HIV among young people in Australia.

This is the first in a series of articles drawn from presentations given at the 2012 Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference. Contributors discuss responses to HIV in the combination prevention era and themes connected with working to achieve targets set out in the United Nations 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS (UNPD).

Reflections about Anthony Smith (only available on the AFAO blog)

Abigail Groves investigates the erasure of bisexuals in HIV prevention and health promotion.

‘MSM [men who have sex with men] and TG [transgender people] are better positioned than anyone else to say what their HIV-related needs might be…’

David Gracey discusses why monitoring kidney health is important for HIV-positive people.

Rebekah Puls provides an overview of research into the impact of various antiretroviral regimes on cognitive function for people with HIV.

Mary Poynten and Andrew Grulich explore the connection between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and anal cancer among gay men, highlighting findings from the SPANC study.

Report by Karalyn McDonald and Julian Elliott for the HealthMap Project Team on findings from the HealthMap qualitative study of Cardiovascular disease, smoking and HIV

SOENKE TREMPER and GUY HUSSEY outline survey results that give insight into GPs’ perspectives on hepatitis C transmission among HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

In this opinion piece, DAVID PIEPER provides reflections on the emergence of the sexual transmission of hepatitis C among HIV-positive gay men.

FINN O’KEEFE profiles developments in hepatitis C treatment and health promotion.

Chris Lemoh looks at health challenges experienced by African Australians

FINN O’KEEFE reports on the launch of a national mental health counselling service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people.

JASON APPLEBY summarises recent research examining the intersection of HIV and mental health.

KARALYN MCDONALD, JULIAN ELLIOTT and LISE SAUGERES report on key study findings exploring the impacts of ageing and chronic disease on people with HIV.

JASON ONG explains that being alert to potential symptoms and having an annual check-up can minimise the risks of anal cancer.

HILA HASKELBERG outlines a range of bone-related health conditions, discussing proactive steps HIV-positive people can take to maintain optimal bone health.

Because people with HIV are now living longer, the management of other health conditions – including conditions affecting cardiovascular, liver, kidney and bone health – has become an increasing priority.

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Malcolm Leech at 12:35am on Friday 20 September from cancer at the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst, age 57.

Since the late 80s, the Aboriginal community has worked tirelessly to find effective models of education for use in the community that give clear and concise health promotion messages.

Looking from outside the regional bubble of the Australian/New Zealand/Pacific Islands countries and territories, some might think that HIV is not an obvious Indigenous health priority.

There have been some significant advances in knowledge recently in the HIV field. Of particular significance is the concept that HIV treatment can be used as prevention tool in reducing HIV transmission for individuals, at the community level and even globally.

Sexually transmissible infection (STI) and HIV point-of-care tests (otherwise known as rapid tests) can be used at patient visits to test for STIs and HIV, rather than sending off a sample to the laboratory and waiting for the results.

In 2009, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development released a report on the health and wellbeing of young people in Victoria which revealed over half of all sexually transmissible infection (STI) notifications (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV) were among young people aged between 15 and 24 years.

The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council (AH&MRC) would like to acknowledging the input of Aboriginal communities and workers into these campaigns.

Over the past decade, rates of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) have increased in Australia.

Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association, is the national peak body representing the interests of sex workers in Australia.

An estimated 10,000 new hepatitis C (HCV) infections occur each year in Australia. It has been estimated that 91% of new HCV infections are acquired through injecting drug use.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (‘Indigenous Australian’) gay and other homosexually active men, transgender people and sistergirls are identified as priority populations in the Third Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy.

The National Guidelines for the Management of People with HIV Who Place Others at Risk (or ‘POAR’ for short) is a public health instrument that provides national guidance in relation to the management of people with HIV who are deemed to pose a public health risk of transmitting HIV to others.

Live deadly stronger and longer: Ask for HIV, hepatitis & STI testsThe Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council (NTAHC) has developed ‘Ask for a Test’, an Indigenous blood borne virus (BBV) and sexual health poster campaign.

‘Tangible strengths, such as young Indigenous people’s commitments to condoms and STI screening should be celebrated and bolstered to enhance their ability to protect themselves against adverse health outcomes and enhance their resilience against STIs.’

Adapted from the 2012 Ngalawi Djardi Health Retreat Evaluation written by Meggan Grose. ACON has been working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People since its inception in 1985.

We are here right across Australia. Let’s support one another by yarning through our journey.’

gar’ban’djee’lum (‘us mob’) is an independent social network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender people, sistergirls and brotherboys (GLBTSB) in and around Brisbane.

The 2 Spirits program was originally established to provide health education and community development to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to establish networks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gay men and sistergirls across Queensland.

Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, gay men, sistergirls and transgender people remain at highest risk of acquiring HIV.

The Anwernekenhe National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV/AIDS Alliance (ANA) began its journey on 31 October, 1994 at Hamilton Downs just outside of Alice Springs.

Howdy, my name is Neville Fazulla. Some of you will know me as Mona, Mony, Fuzzy or Olivia and my besties call me sis.

There is an urgency in Australia’s response in addressing the high levels of curable sexually transmissible infections (STIs) that have been present in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for as long as records have been kept.

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population continues to be overrepresented in notifications of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) while at the same time maintaining a stable epidemic of HIV.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people are a priority population in all national and jurisdictional sexually transmissible infection (STI) and blood borne virus (BBV) strategies, but until recently we have had little information on which to build and evaluate responses. This situation has changed radically in the past two years, with the implementation of the GOANNA study.

It was over 20 years ago when alarm bells were sounded about the devastating impact that HIV/ AIDS could have on our communities. This hasn’t happened, so thank you!

Haus of Khameleon is a youth and transgender led feminist movement working to create a safe space for Transgender people in Fiji.

Founded in 2002, Chengdu Tongle Health Counseling & Service Center (Chengdu Tongle) is a self-governed MSM NGO in Chengdu, China.

Action for AIDS was the first organisation working with gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the area of sexual health promotion in Singapore.

Naz Male Health Alliance (NMHA) is the first and only men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender community-based organisation in Pakistan.

The Service Workers In Group Foundation (SWING) was established in 2004 to promote and protect the health, human rights and dignity of sex workers.

A range of structural, social and cultural barriers to treatment exist which create difficulties for HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM+) to access the treatment services they need.

Specific data on young MSM and transgender women at higher risk of HIV in the region is sparse, but estimates that do exist give cause for concern.

Drug use among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Asia is an established trend.

Within the Asia-Pacific region, male and trans* sex workers face a disproportionately high level of stigma, violence, discrimination, homophobia and sex work-phobia from the broader society.

‘Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, without discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental aspect of this right.’ Principle 17: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health.

The Pacific spans a huge and diverse geographic and cultural landscape. Within this huge region, there is also much diversity in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity.

In 2009 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reoriented its work to focus on HIV vulnerability in municipal settings.

In 2012, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law highlighted the harmful impacts of punitive laws on the health and human rights of men who have sex with men (MSM) and on transgender people.

In the third decade of HIV in Asia and the Pacific, the epidemiology of HIV continues to change and to challenge our best efforts to respond.

Welcome to the Special ICAAP11 Edition of HIV Australia, focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people across Asia and the Pacific. This edition has been prepared to bring together some of the key issues and discussions around current and future responses to HIV, health and human rights for MSM and transgender people in our region.