Am I out of it,or do we need start preaching "Safe Sex" again?

[w8liftinglady]

I had my first new diagnosis AIDS patient today.....in a long time.

He buried a lot of friends in the 80's.
He's become complacent recently.
Dallas is seeing an increase in HIV in the 18-26 year-old population.

I feel like no one gives a shit.

There....I feel better.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I think you are right, complacent is the word. Well, people better wake up. HIV is no joke and

we are reaching the end of being able to treat other infections like gonorrhea, thanks to antibiotic resistance.

[William769]

2. I'm with you.

I brought this subject up on last year on DU2 and had some bite my head off.

As someone who nearly died of A.I.D.S. back in 2004. I will shout it from the rooftops if I have to.

When it comes to unsafe sex, please remember, the life you save, may be your own.

Yes I will be a prick on this subject if need be.

[TheWraith]

3. There's a broad misperception that modern drug therapies have "cured" AIDS. nt

[Fearless]

8. +1000!

[RKP5637]

14. Yep, that's what I think too, and the younger population really did not

live through the real scare of AIDS, so for them it's probably out of sight, out of mind ... and some may be naive enough to think you just go get a pill or shot, etc. AIDS used to be in the news, etc. all the time, but these days not so much. As you say, there's this misperception that drugs have cured aids.

[TheWraith]

17. It's not just the younger population.

I have a friend who was young and gay right through the initial heyday of AIDS in the '80s, but got out uninfected. A couple years ago, he had to be dragged into the hospital half dead in the grip of AIDS-induced dementia. Sure enough, through a little too much carelessness he had gotten infected, and was unaware of it. He was lucky--he survived and he's going to be okay. Or at least as okay as you can be with a suspended death sentence looming over your head, which is about as good as it gets with AIDS.

[RKP5637]

18. That's so sad to hear. I've had friends die from AIDS that should have

known better. They were always concerned about their health, etc. All it takes is one mistake, too many drinks, etc. not thinking and that's it, AIDS is so very unforgiving.

I wish there were more publicity that AIDS is still with us, and I doubt it's going away anytime soon. I'm not an expert on this, but I believe it morphs easily into another strain making it very difficult to isolate for effective immunization.

[TheWraith]

20. Unfortunately human nature works against logic.

Wanting to have a few drinks, wanting to get off, wanting to not care about the future for a night, all those are natural human reactions. And harmless--in the right circumstances. The wrong circumstances make them potentially deadly.

AIDS does have several strains, but it's more the highly unusual nature of how it works that makes it almost impossible to immunize against. Damaging the immune system itself, rather than other cells, results in traditional vaccination not working the way we're used to. I have no doubt that eventually they'll come out with a vaccine, but it might take quite a long time.

[w8liftinglady]

4. Thank you all.. I was afraid I was being too paranoid :)

with a true come-to-jesus on catching aids....again,....like my sweet patient this weekend,He's buried friends,

[xfundy]

5. PharmCo ads have convinced ppl it's no big deal.

Yes, safe or safer sex still needs to be a priority.

OT, I always love to see your posts, THANKS for your efforts!

[intaglio]

6. Is abstinence "education" used by schools near you?

Might that be playing a part?

[w8liftinglady]

11. yes.This Is Texas.

My friend offered to teach safe sex to 5th grade boys in Dallas County.he was turned down.They do not begin sexual education until the 10th grade.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/11/this_week_in_awful_public_heal.php

[RKP5637]

15. By that time they need to start covering how to survive AIDS. What a

dismal lack of maturity this country often displays. Often I don't think parts of this country have gotten beyond the 50's.

[laconicsax]

7. I think it's a combination of ignorance and apathy.

Actual sex education would help...a lot.

[closeupready]

9. Thank you for your efforts on this.

Lost three of my best friends to that scourge.

I'm curious, though, about how you asked the question - I don't think anyone stopped preaching safe sex, so what do you mean by 'start again'?

And I think everyone 'gives a shit', but as young people come of age, the need for safe sex education is constantly renewed, so until a cure is found (and likely even after it is found), educating sexually active people about safe sex will always be needed.

[w8liftinglady]

10. LOL...Let me clarify...this is Texas

Schools are forbidden on teaching safe sex until 10th grade.
Condoms are expensive and not easily available to men and women.
Even in Oak Lawn,there's a little undercurrent of unsafe sex....especially through the younger gay community...men and women.It's going to take something like ACT UP to get the education out.

We are seeing an increaase in high school kids with new diagnoses



http://blog.chron.com/momhouston/2012/06/rise-in-youth-hiv-cases-found-in-austin/

[closeupready]

12. That's kind of shocking. Basic condoms are essentially free here,

there's typically a big bucket full of free condoms at every public gathering spot where gay people go, plus HIV-awareness promotional ads and displays.

[pinto]

13. Sorry to hear that. And the trend you mention is troubling, along with the CDC estimate

that 20-25% of folks with HIV aren't aware they're infected. That's been steady for quite a while. It's the "awareness wall" HIV Education / Prevention / Testing programs have run up against nation wide.

Testing isn't an easy decision for many, but I have seen safe sex and safer IDU become standard in a lot of folks personal lives. Peer support often seems key...

Hang in there and thanks for your work.

[hedgehog]

16. Going by all the recent warnings over drug resistant

gonorrhea, I'd say the entire world needs a new round of training in safe sex!

[RKP5637]

19. Yep, yet another STD to worry about. It amazes me, absolutely amazes me

how many try to repress sex education in this country. I just don't get it, it's sooo damn ignorant. Often I swear we're back in the 50's, and right back there is where a lot of people want to take us. Just another WTF moment. What are they afraid of, why is sex education such a horrible thing in this supposedly advance country.

[Jamastiene]

21. Absolutely.

If we can save people from getting HIV/AIDS, it would be worth it. We have lost far too many people.