HOUSING IS HIV PREVENTION AND HEALTH CARE

2009-08-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

We can call in all the guru's in government and sciences but yet housing is the greatest unmet service for people living with HIV/AIDS.

We can show numbers bring together great masses of people both affected and infected in protest.

We have allowed the virus to go from epidemic to pandemic and blame the behaviors of people infected. Researchers perform studies and their findings, clearly show evidence based intervention works. We can talk about homelessness being one of the risk factors for both infections and re-infection, homelessness puts people in the cross-hairs of situations. Homelessness for some creates instabilities in our faculties of well-being mentally and spiritually. To a person without a home they have no base of action homelessness for some leads them to the environment that most often times are infested with drugs, and at greater risk of comobilities. Studies have shown marked change in the lessening of risk due to less exposure to the external risk factors and more introductions to protective factors. Housing status predicts HIV risk. Research show a direct relationship between homelessness and high risk behaviors, the lack of stable housing equals lack of treatment success.

There are some obvious problems connected to homelessness and medication adherence, medication side effects can also impact adherence. Homeless people often have multiple social service needs which need to be addressed on case by case bases for each individuals needs. There are many reasons why people become homeless and unless health care and service workers understand what those reasons are, trying to to help becomes in-effective. In order to treat people successfully, health care and service workers must suspend judgement and treat within and individual existing frame work. Take in consideration that people have already had to confront a number of obstacles to get the services needed in the first place. Recognize these challenges understand that people need education, advocacy and referral to services on-going support in their struggle to live with their disease.

PREVENTION:

The reduction in incidence of disabling diseases and injuries is the first goal for and effective health care system. The term prevention means action aimed at preventing the occurrence of physical, intellectual psychiatric or sensory impairments from causing a permanent functional limitation or disability.

The only way to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS is through education for the impaired and unimpaired through outreach, harm-reduction intervention and on-going supportive services. We know evidence -based HIV prevention strategies provide other health benefits, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases unwanted pregnancy, protection against hepatitis B and C transmission but yet no effective programs have been deployed that reach those populations most at risk.

Research has shown us very solid evidence on what types of prevention strategies and interventions can work.

The federal government continues to ignore or evade the issue contributing to the slow or no passage of effective policies while others based on ideology catch the wind and fly.

Federal domestic funding has not increased to match the epidemic turned pandemics need of attention for a more than effective strategy; we must place prevention, treatment, research and housing even aids education as a most top urgent priority. It will take a solid unified commitment from government and its public who elects them, for any efforts to be seen as effective. If the election of President Obama has shown me anything it has shown that a vote and unity from people is a very powerful weapon against the opposition in the progress of change.

It all seems unreal while the corporations got bailed out before the people in need. Big oil who needs big auto, just looked the other way and government immediately looks to catch corporate like rain drops knowing fully well that you can't catch them all.

This leaves my only question? Where does a president place his priorities for people living with HIV/AIDS in the face of this epidemic turned pandemic?

Homeless Activist with HIV/cliffwms44

HOUSING IS HIV PREVENTION AND HEALTH CARE