Comments on: Red Ribbons. Not just For Ukraine.

By: Doug

Doug — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 16:07:11 +0000

“LOL
Yeah, we really need to spend more money to get the word out…I’m always overhearing people in the West say “hey, did you hear about that obscure disease called AIDS?” “no, what’s that?”"

http://www.zeit.de/2004/49/aids_Deutschland

The intro begins roughly: Homosexuals forego safer sex. Young people think AIDS is a disease for grown-ups — 20 years after its outbreak, the plague has lost its menace in Germany. A deadly error.

… so it’s not like the need for education stops.

By: Randy McDonald

Randy McDonald — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 08:58:19 +0000

But are you telling me that you have come to the conclusion that abstinence promotion doesn?t work because it wasn?t spectacularly successful in Uganda?

Considering how Uganda is the showcase of the abstinence approach to HIV control, and how proponents have quoted inaccurate figures, skepticism seems merited.

17% is not a quarter. And even if it were, 11% is *much* better than 25%.

Much better /= good.

Considering that your gay Randy, isn?t it reasonable to assume that your perspective is skewed?

Sorry? Please elaborate.

By: Cornelius

Cornelius — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 07:42:07 +0000

No it doesn’t. Uganda is the only quasi-success story, and I blogged about its dubious statistics. Critical paragraph:

I was being literal. You dramatically lower your chances of becoming infected with HIV if you don’t have sex.

But are you telling me that you have come to the conclusion that abstinence promotion doesn’t work because it wasn’t spectacularly successful in Uganda? I’m not terribly familiar with the Ugandan program but the Guardian article said it was a combo of abstinence, fidelity, and condoms. So I don’t understand your conclusion.

In regards to your Were quote and this: >”That’s better than one-quarter of the population, but not much”

17% is not a quarter. And even if it were, 11% is *much* better than 25%. Considering that your gay Randy, isn’t it reasonable to assume that your perspective is skewed?

By: Randy McDonald

Randy McDonald — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 05:43:48 +0000

No it doesn’t. Uganda is the only quasi-success story, and I blogged about its dubious statistics. Critical paragraph:

?Beatrice Were, head of HIV/Aids in Uganda for Action Aid, agreed the [figure of 17.1%] was too high, but she said the official measurement overlooked women unable to reach maternity clinics because of poverty, remoteness or the war in the north. ?I would say the infection rate is between 10 and 12%.?

By: Cornelius

Cornelius — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 05:23:27 +0000

In the US, the problem has been aggravated by the religious right?s efforts to abandon pragmatic policies in favor of a dogmatic prevention policy based predominantly on ?abstinence only.?

The HIV infection rate in the US is unchanged from mid 1990’s levels. So I can only attribute that statement to knee jerk Euro ‘Religious Right’ cliches. You wanna back that statement up?

And what’s dogmatic about abstinence? It works.

By: rusty

rusty — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 03:05:49 +0000

“HIV infections are once again rising in the EU and other parts of the West, particularly among younger people, because funding for awareness programmes has been slashed for years”

LOL
Yeah, we really need to spend more money to get the word out…I’m always overhearing people in the West say “hey, did you hear about that obscure disease called AIDS?” “no, what’s that?”

By: TulipGirl

TulipGirl — Thu, 02 Dec 2004 03:00:27 +0000

We inspect playgrounds for used needles before our kids can play. I like protecting my children, and have not wanted to rush childhood. It was hard when I had to give them the “bad needles” talk and we practiced what to do if they saw a needle.

A friend told me that this summer that there were reminders on the Kyiv television of what to do if a child is stuck with a needle while playing. There is a clinic set up for quick-testing both the needle and the child for HIV / Hep.

HIV infection is highly stigmatized here. (Think US early 80s.) There is an AIDS hospice in Kyiv, but my impression is that country-wide, there has been a very slow response to this problem.