Health
Va. school district approves PrEP lessons
Opposition leads to rowdy board meeting
WASHINGTON ā Students in Virginiaās Fairfax County School District will be taught about PrEP, joining Marylandās Montgomery County School District after the school board voted last week to approve the lessons, theĀ Washington PostĀ reports. No time frame for implementation of the lessons was given.
PrEP, the daily drug that has been lauded for its effective ability to block HIV transmission, will be part of the districtās family life education curriculum, which includes lessons on sex. Although not exclusive to gays, PrEP is most widely prescribed and used among gay and bi men.
Its inclusion was vigorously opposed at a recent board meeting the Post said ādevolved frequently into jeers.ā
The curriculum change appears in lessons that teach students about preventing and treating sexually transmitted infections. In addition to abstinence, which is already taught, students will learn thatĀ PrEP and condoms can help prevent transmission of the virus, the Post reports.
An advisory committee was directed by the school board to review the Fairfax family life education curriculum and to compare it with state standards. The advisory panel recommended that the school district include information about PrEP at all high school grade levels, the Post reports.
Robert Rigby, president of FCPS Pride, an employee group that advocates for the districtās LGBT students and workers, said informing students about the drug is vital.
āItās a terrific tool in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic,ā he said, according to the Post article. āFor our individual student who might be at risk at some point in their lives, itās something they need to know about.ā
Opposition voiced included concerns that PrEP may cause kidney and bone damage, parent Hope Wojciech, a Fairfax resident, said, according to the Post.
About 830 comments were received opposing the change, the Post reports.
Health
UNAIDS to commemorate Zero Discrimination Dayās 10th anniversary
UN agency urges global action to protect human rights
As the world marks the 10th anniversary of Zero Discrimination Day; UNAIDS is sounding the alarm on the increasing threats to human rights, calling for renewed efforts to protect the rights of all individuals as a fundamental step towards ensuring health for everyone.
Established by UNAIDS a decade ago, Zero Discrimination Day aims to promote equality and fairness regardless of gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity or HIV status. The progress achieved over the past years is now in jeopardy, however, due to rising attacks on the rights of women, LGBTQ people and other marginalized communities.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima emphasized the critical link between protecting human rights and safeguarding public health.
“The attacks on rights are a threat to freedom and democracy and are harmful to health,ā she said in a press release. āStigma and discrimination obstruct HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care and hold back progress towards ending AIDS by 2030. It is only by protecting everyoneās rights that we can protect everyoneās health.”
Despite challenges, there has been notable progress.
At the onset of the AIDS pandemic more than 40 years ago, two-thirds of countries criminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations. They are now decriminalized in two-thirds of countries. An additional 38 countries around the world have pledged to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination, contributing to positive changes that include 50 million more girls attending school compared to 2015.
To sustain and enhance these advancements; UNAIDS urges global support for womenās rights movements, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, economic justice, climate justice and peace initiatives. By standing with communities advocating for their rights, the U.N. aims to reinforce the collective effort towards a more inclusive and equitable world.
Zero Discrimination Day is observed on March 1.
Events and activities that will take place around the world throughout the month will serve as reminders of the essential lesson and call to action: Protecting everyoneās health is synonymous with protecting everyoneās rights.
“Through upholding rights for all, we will be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and secure a safer, fairer, kinder and happier world ā for everyone,” said Byanyima.
Health
New CDC report finds transgender women at higher risk for HIV
More than 1,600 people in seven cities surveyed
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new study report this week that revealed that restricted by employment and housing discrimination and lack of access to needed gender-affirming healthcare for transgender women increasing the risk of contracting HIV.
Researchers reviewed data from a 2019-2020 survey, theĀ National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women, which found that the demographics of HIV/AIDS have been disproportionally high, especially among Black and Latina trans women, who had experienced employment and housing discrimination coupled with lack of access to gender-affirming healthcare.
The Jan. 25Ā Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report was based on data studies of more than 1,600 trans women in seven major urban locales. Participants from Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle were chosen by referrals from people and community-based organizations who knew or were part of the local population of trans women.
The studyās researchers noted: āEmployment discrimination occurs at the overlapping nexus of poverty, homelessness, incarceration, health insurance, disability, food insecurity and survival sex work. These issues are interconnected.ā
The study stated that trans womenās inability to access quality healthcare, including gender-affirming treatment or access to PrEP, and can expose them to potential incarceration as many turn to āsurvival sex workā and violence, which increases the risk of contracting HIV.
The studyās authorās pointed out: āWhen economically marginalized transgender women are refused employment, this refusal cyclically contributes to economic hardships. This analysis ā¦demonstrates the importance of transgender women working and living with dignity and without fear of unfair treatment.ā
Health
A Whole New Perspective on Well-Being
The Matherās team recognizes that everyoneās wellness journey is completely unique to their life experiences and influences.
Itās easy to spot the distinctive, elegant silhouette of The Mather, a Life Plan Community for those 62+ opening this spring in Tysons, Virginia. What is not apparent to the naked eye is The Matherās unique wellness philosophy, which is literally built into the community.Ā
The Matherās team recognizes that everyoneās wellness journey is completely unique to their life experiences and influences.
Nature is one of the important factors that contribute to well-being. So The Mather is incorporating biophilic designāa design approach to facilitate access to nature or things that replicate natural patterns. This can include interior spaces with sightlines to a garden, choosing natural wood and stone as interior materials, or incorporating fragrant flowers and plants indoors to spark memories and provide tactile opportunities such as gardening.Ā
āProviding biophilic design within interior settings connects residents to the natural world,ā says Mary Leary, CEO and President of Mather, the organization behind The Mather. āResearch shows that a connection to nature provides positive benefits to mental states and overall well-being. At The Mather, biophilic design is the intersection of buildings and programs with nature in an urban setting.ā
āThe Mather is attracting a diverse group of older adults,ā says Mary. āAs a result, we aim to incorporate wellness practices from around the world, including Wyda movement theory of the Celtic Druids, which helps people achieve harmony with nature and contentment through mindfulness.ā This holistic regenerative approach is similar to Qi Gong and yoga, while born in a different part of the world. Mather Institute has a special focus on mindfulness to support older adultsā practice of present moment awareness, which can lead to increased overall well-being, compassion, and joy.
A very different example of a wellness offering at The Mather is the Gharieni Welnamis spa wave bed, which uses computer-controlled vibrational therapy and audio frequencies to train the brain to relax. āThe bed increases mindfulness, concentration, and creativityāall of which support our mission of creating Ways to Age Well,SMā says Mary.
These and other personalized ways to wellness will ensure that residents of The Mather can choose from seemingly countless ways to focus on their well-being. In other words, the skyās the limit!
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