HIV on the rise in Ireland

[jebus]

A couple of reports in the papers and online today show a 21% increase in the amount of reported HIV cases in Ireland for the first 6 months of 2007, with hetrosexual couples showing the biggest increase, followed by needle users and homosexual couples in that order. The story is found here,

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojaugbqlmh/

Pretty shocking in light of this that the government are still backslapping each other over bringing the price of condoms down by a few cent. How they can continue to justify the prices (€5 for 3 in some places I've bought them) and defend their position that they are a luxury item is beyond me, and is just another thing to add to the long list of government **** ups under Bertie.

The only answer to the problem is to lower the cost of condoms (preferably make them free) and increase awareness amongst homo and especially hetro, couples. I say especially hetro because I still think a lot of people view HIV/AIDS as something that only happens to junkies and homosexuals, and that needs to be addressed urgently. Given the stigma against gay couples in this area I think they tend to be more educated on the matter, that said maintaining information to young homosexuals is required.

I'm afraid when it comes to needle users though theres probably little hope in making them fearful of HIV as I'm sure the vast majority of them know what sharing needles can lead to, so that problem needs to be addressed at the basic point before users start using, which is a wider society based problem in itself.

All in all I think it's going to be hard for people to increasingly ignore these figures

[Block G Raptor]

All in all I think it's going to be hard for people to increasingly ignore these figures

I think the figures may be a bit mis-leading. As we know there is a Major HIV epidemic in Africa and as there has been a huge influx of African people to these shores then it stands to reason that a percentage of these people will be HIV+ which may drive the Figures up. Having said that I totally agree with you about the education and availability of cheap/free condoms

[Bald Student]

I think the figures may be a bit mis-leading. As we know there is a Major HIV epidemic in Africa and as there has been a huge influx of African people to these shores then it stands to reason that a percentage of these people will be HIV+ which may drive the Figures up. Having said that I totally agree with you about the education and availability of cheap/free condoms

I don't know if the same applies in Ireland or not but I remember reading a very good essay by a British academic called 'The Retreat of Reason' about a year ago where he deals with this topic. The rising HIV rate in Britain was being publicly blamed on casual sex amongst teenagers despite the figures showing that the bulk of the rise was in African immigrants with teenagers accounting for a tiny fraction of it.

The politicians were afraid of acknowledging the true cause of the problem and, as a result, it went untreated while a lot of money was spent on education and awareness for teenagers, which could only ever have an impact on the smaller fraction of cases.

Edit: I read the article there and apparently this logic doesn't apply in Ireland;

Nationality was known in around 120 cases, with 42% born in sub-Saharan Africa and 40% in Ireland.

The majority of those who contracted the condition through heterosexual contact were of sub-Saharan origin.

[Block G Raptor]

Edit: I read the article there and apparently this logic doesn't apply in Ireland;

of the 40 per cent born in Ireland what percentage of them were Irish women who'd slept with Sub-Saharan African men one wonders

[Bald Student]

of the 40 per cent born in Ireland what percentage of them were Irish women who'd slept with Sub-Saharan African men one wonders

I suppose you can make a first approximation of 40%, if that's the proportion of HIV infected people here born in Sub-Saharan Africa.

[gilberto_eire]

Another alarming figure there is over 70% of those cases been in the Dublin/Kildare/Wicklow area!!

[anto1208]

Then you have clowns like Ray darcy yesterday giving out about not being able to buy the morning after pill over the counter saying we are ment to be a modern country.

[noby]

I'm sure there may be a certain cross-over, but to call someone a clown for calling for more readily available morning after pill in a time when HIV is on the rise doesn't make sense to me. In fact they are very separate issues in my book.

[jebus]

Then you have clowns like Ray darcy yesterday giving out about not being able to buy the morning after pill over the counter saying we are ment to be a modern country.

Whats wrong with that? We should be able to get the morning after pill over the counter, this buisness of paying a doctor €50 euro for a piece of paper saying 'give it to them' is farcical. That doesn't mean that condoms shouldn't also be free, and more information given out about safe sex though

[noby]

Another alarming figure there is over 70% of those cases been in the Dublin/Kildare/Wicklow area!!

But is it that alarming? I mean what percentage of the population live in those regions? And would it be fair to assume that a higher proportion of the groups mentioned in the article, e.g. sub-Saharan immigrants, also reside in this area.

[Block G Raptor]

I'm sure there may be a certain cross-over, but to call someone a clown for calling for more readily available morning after pill in a time when HIV is on the rise doesn't make sense to me. In fact they are very separate issues in my book.

They are not seperate Issues at all. making the morning after pill more readily available is likely to increase the incidence of people having un-protected sex. If you ask young girls (15-25)what they fear most from unprotected sex most would tell you their biggest fear is pregnancy. STD's are -like cancer- something that "happens to other people" in most peoples minds

[jebus]

They are not seperate Issues at all. making the morning after pill more readily available is likely to increase the incidence of people having un-protected sex. If you ask young girls (15-25)what they fear most from unprotected sex most would tell you their biggest fear is pregnancy. STD's are -like cancer- something that "happens to other people" in most peoples minds

And that's where proper education should come into the equation, not restricting access to proper birth control

[noby]

Ok, not separate issues, granted. But obviously there is a lot of unprotected sex going on at the moment, so a lot of educating of all the risks involved has to be a priority. But to dismiss the issue of the morning after pill just because instances of HIV is on the rise isn't the right path to go down, if you ask me.

[John83]

They are not seperate Issues at all. making the morning after pill more readily available is likely to increase the incidence of people having un-protected sex. If you ask young girls (15-25)what they fear most from unprotected sex most would tell you their biggest fear is pregnancy. STD's are -like cancer- something that "happens to other people" in most peoples minds

Why is it that the biggest problem on earth seems to be that people are really, really stupid?

[Block G Raptor]

And that's where proper education should come into the equation, not restricting access to proper birth control

If you look over my first post in this thread you will see that I agreed with you on your points about education and the supply of free/cheap condoms

[jebus]

If you look over my first post in this thread you will see that I agreed with you on your points about education and the supply of free/cheap condoms

I realise that, but you seem to disagree with making the morning after pill readily available by linking it with a probably rise in HIV infection, which I don't think would happen if proper steps were taken

[Block G Raptor]

I realise that, but you seem to disagree with making the morning after pill readily available by linking it with a probably rise in HIV infection, which I don't think would happen if proper steps were taken

Agreed "if proper steps were taken" but this is Ireland under Fianna Fail so you can damn near guarantee that "Proper Steps" re Education will not be taken

[micls]

They are not seperate Issues at all. making the morning after pill more readily available is likely to increase the incidence of people having un-protected sex. If you ask young girls (15-25)what they fear most from unprotected sex most would tell you their biggest fear is pregnancy. STD's are -like cancer- something that "happens to other people" in most peoples minds

I read an article about a study in the UK(where the morning after pill is available from a pharmacist) which said tht it had not had a noticable effect on teh percentage of people having unprotected sex.

I'll see if I can find it.

Tbh I dont think it would change the ways of people who currently do use protection. It's simply an option if something goes wrong, which it easily can.

I don't think it would have any more effect than being on the normal pill does in relation to whether you are careful in relation to STI's.

[jebus]

Agreed "if proper steps were taken" but this is Ireland under Fianna Fail so you can damn near guarantee that "Proper Steps" re Education will not be taken

Well not until that Red Ribbon shower get their fingers out and pay off the right government members anyway

Said it before and I'll say it again, this ****ing country

[Wolfie]

A couple of reports in the papers and online today show a 21% increase in the amount of reported HIV cases in Ireland for the first 6 months of 2007, with hetrosexual couples showing the biggest increase, followed by needle users and homosexual couples in that order. The story is found here,

http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhojaugbqlmh/

Pretty shocking in light of this that the government are still backslapping each other over bringing the price of condoms down by a few cent. How they can continue to justify the prices (€5 for 3 in some places I've bought them) and defend their position that they are a luxury item is beyond me, and is just another thing to add to the long list of government **** ups under Bertie.

The only answer to the problem is to lower the cost of condoms (preferably make them free) and increase awareness amongst homo and especially hetro, couples. I say especially hetro because I still think a lot of people view HIV/AIDS as something that only happens to junkies and homosexuals, and that needs to be addressed urgently. Given the stigma against gay couples in this area I think they tend to be more educated on the matter, that said maintaining information to young homosexuals is required.

I'm afraid when it comes to needle users though theres probably little hope in making them fearful of HIV as I'm sure the vast majority of them know what sharing needles can lead to, so that problem needs to be addressed at the basic point before users start using, which is a wider society based problem in itself.

All in all I think it's going to be hard for people to increasingly ignore these figures

I think an element of complacency has set in as regards the containment of HIV/Aids. I'm not aware of any TV campaigns regarding HIV/Aids awareness to be screened over at least the last 10 years. If there was - they weren't very hard hitting as they passed me by.

I was only a child when the first wave of awareness campaigns were launched in the mid 80's - but everyone was aware of the risks.

There's an entire generation that are now sexually active that weren't even born when the major campaigns of awareness were screened.