HIV/AIDS is impacting our youth at an alarming rate. Although African Americans represent only 16 percent of U.S. teens, they represented 69 percent of all new AIDS cases reported among teens in 2005. Dr. Helen Gayle, president of CARE, said, "There is a lack of youth tailored prevention programs that relate to the youth culture." More teens are sexually active than even their parents want to admit. According to the 2007 CDC'S Youth Risk Behavioral Survey 66.5 percent of high school students have engaged in sexual intercourse. The survey also reports that 16.3 percent of teens had sex before the age of 13.
The United States has received a fair amount of criticism for pushing its abstinence-only program, even though most studies question its effectiveness. What many fail to realize is that all HIV prevention education programs includes abstinence information. While I agree that sexual health education should start at home, unfortunately, and especially with for the kids most at risk, it ain't happening. Many of the children most at risk live in chaotic situations where survival takes precedence. It's time that we stop pontificating and start demanding more funding for youth-oriented sexual health prevention programs.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
1 comment:
When I read the recent statistics of the increasing cases of HIV among young people; I became extremely upset. HIV/AIDS have been with us for over a quarter of a century.
I believe that in the LGBT community, cases are on the rise among young people because they don't believe that HIV/AIDS is still an illness that you can die from. It is true that we have had great success in treating this disease and it is one that people now LIVE with instead of DIE from, as they did at alarming rates in the 80's and early 90's. However, antiretroviral therapies do not guarentee that a person will remain well forever. There simply isn't enough data to say that these drugs work for 30 years or more. In addition, people are not aware that there are different strains of this horrible disease. If two people are positive, they still need to use protection. If they do not, they run the risk of a secondary HIV infection, one that may be resistant to the drug regimen that they are taking currently.
Crystal Meth has become a drug used by many young gay people in the club scene. I saw a film called "Rock Bottom" that chronicled the lives of 4 gay men who used crystal meth. A major problem with the use of crystal is unprotected "marathon sex." I have had clients not remember how many people they had sex with in one night, all unprotected. This leads to a very high number of unknown new HIV infections a year. In addition, someone who is already positive and using crystal is looking for a death sentence as crystal is made of poison.
Little to nothing is done in the media to promote harm reduction and safer sex. I find it ironic that the majority of commercial air time is given to drugs like Viagra, etc; but no time is given to condom commercials. Condoms are sometimes behind the pharmacy counter or you have to ask someone to unlock the condom case at a store. This is not going to make someone who is private and not wanting the other shoppers to know that he or she is buying condoms to be comfortable asking for them. Where are the commercial ad's for rehabilitation from drug abuse? Our government wants to live in a dream world where teens are roasting marshmellows by a fire and not drinking, using drugs or having sex. We need to get real as a society.
The cut backs of the Ryan White funds are shocking. Our government will spend billions a month to fight an unjust war, but will not provide the funding needed to help provide housing, counseling, case management, and other services to people living with HIV/AIDS. It won't put money out to prevent this and other sexually transmitted diseases either. It is like we've hit a time warp and HIV/AIDS is not on the radar for the government or public health officials. Its as if Ronald Regan is in office again and not responding to this epidemic as he never mentioned the words AIDS or HIV until 7 years into the epidemic when something could have possibly been done to stop the speed of new transmissions.
You learn the hard way that as an individual, You have to speak up and you have to be on the government's back to care for us. Because if left to them, nothing would get done. They simply do not care for us and for other minorities who are at a greater risk of this disease because of socioeconomical reasons. If you are poor, a person of color, LGBT, someone with HIV/AIDS, you don't matter to them. It has to end and we need to get back to the days of ACT-UP and other types of activism to MAKE them see us. We are not invisible unless we allow ourselves to be. We are not weak unless we allow ourselves to be. Social Change happens slowly, but it happens one person at a time.
Post a Comment