Fernando

This month, an article using Momentum data was chosen as an editor’s pick by the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (JAID). The article looks at rates of viral suppression among Vancouver gbMSM, as well as choices around sex, HIV prevention and drug use. Decades after the launches of countless campaigns around HIV prevention and safer sex, there are important insights on where public health messaging has made a strong impression. It also shows areas that need further recognition and spotlighting.

Located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES), on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish peoples, many have found welcome at the Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society (WAHRS), where groundbreaking research is helping to rewrite our understanding of substance use and addiction. Members are current or former illicit drug and/or illicit alcohol users from diverse Indigenous backgrounds. At WAHRS, members are given an opportunity to have their voices heard, empowered to fight for themselves and to educate policy makers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and others about members’ strengths and challenges.

According to the BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program data, over half of HIV positive individuals in British Columbia, who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), are over 50 years of age. Each year in BC, a small number of people over the age of 60 are newly diagnosed with HIV, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control. These two groups of older people face different challenges and health care needs, and both groups challenge common cultural perceptions about ageing, vitality, quality of life and sexuality.

Food security is very important for people living with HIV. An individual who has unstable access to housing, employment or food may not be able to access their HIV treatment consistently.

The BC-CfE regularly produces a fact sheet as part of the HIV Pulse series in order to provide comprehensive and concise updates on HIV/AIDS-related findings to public health and health care professionals. The focus of the fact sheet series is Treatment as Prevention¨ and its implementation in the province of British Columbia. The BC-CfE regularly produces a fact sheet as part of the HIV Pulse series in order to provide comprehensive and concise updates on HIV/AIDS-related findings to public health and health care professionals. The focus of the fact sheet series is Treatment as Prevention¨ and its implementation in the province of British Columbia. The latest HIV Pulse gives an overview of the measurements provided by the BC HIV Cascade of Care.