National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is September 27th
A letter from CDC’s Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair and Dr. Jonathan Mermin: September 27 is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD), a day when we reaffirm our commitment to ending the disproportionate impact of HIV on gay and bisexual men in the United States. Recently, encouraging progress shows declines in new infections among gay and bisexual […]
Health Alert: CDC reports a sharp rise in new cases of Mpox
The CDC reports Mpox cases in the United States are twice as high as they were at this time last year. As of January 1st, In New York City (for example) 1,149 people have tested positive for the virus as reported by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Ninety-four percent of the cases […]
STI Awareness Week is April 14–20
From Poz online…. STI Awareness Week, observed April 14–20 this year, raises awareness about how sexually transmitted infections (STIs) impact people’s lives. It also highlights the importance of reducing the stigma, fear, and discrimination associated with STIs and ensuring people have the appropriate tools and knowledge regarding the prevention, testing, and treatment of STIs. The latest […]
HHS Announces Department Actions to Slow Surging Syphilis Epidemic
From HIV.gov… U.S. Syphilis Cases Reach Highest Levels Since the 1950s, Creating a Critical Public Health Need. In response to the surging number of syphilis and congenital syphilis cases nationwide, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is taking action to slow the spread with a focus on those most significantly impacted. Through […]
Get a free HIV in-home test kit in time for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Due to institutionalized racism in our health systems, the Black community still struggles with high rates of HIV infection. To combat the issue, the HIV Prevention and Care Project offers FREE in-home HIV test kits through the mail. They come in an unmarked package and are completely anonymous. Information entered to order the kit is […]
Newborn syphilis cases spike in U.S. amid gaps in maternal screening, treatment
From the University of Minnesota… Syphilis infections passed from mothers to their newborns are at a 30-year high and have risen tenfold since 2012, and a fresh data analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that lack of timely testing and adequate treatment are the two biggest drivers and played a […]
Why National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Still Matters in 2023
From Poz online… May 19th marks National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NAPIHAAD, also referred to as APIMay19), an important occasion for raising awareness and promoting action against HIV/AIDS within Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. NAPIHAAD serves as a powerful reminder of the unique challenges faced by these communities and the need for comprehensive […]
Black Gay Men and Trans Women Are Well Protected by Injectable PrEP
From POZ.com… Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (Apretude) offered greater protection than daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills for Black gay and bisexual cisgender men and transgender women, but Black people still had higher HIV incidence rates compared with their white peers regardless of which type of PrEP they used, researchers reported at the 30th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections […]
February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. CDC data shows that Black/African American are at a higher risk for HIV infection as compared to other races and ethnicities. Why? Because these communities are impacted by demographic factors such as discrimination, stigma, and institutionalized health disparities—all of which affect their risk for HIV. If you reside […]
Health Alert: If you’re sexually active, get a full screening for sexually transmitted infections
The CDC is reporting the number of new sexually transmitted infections continues to go up, with the highest number of STIs in the U.S. ever. The newly released CDC 2020 STD Surveillance Report found that at the end of 2020: Reported cases of gonorrhea and primary & secondary (P&S) syphilis were up 10% and 7%, respectively, compared to 2019. Syphilis among newborns (i.e., […]