The Pill for under 16s!

There was a news recently that even girls under 16 can buy contraceptive pills. I wonder what benefit would that bring?
Obviously this is aimed to decrease the number of teenage pregnancies. On the other hand, the British government has policies to make the single mothers' lives easier. Single mothers are provided with a house, milk and whatever that could ease their responsibilities. When teenage girls see this kind of independent life that seems "cool" and fully supported, how could they be held against doing what they are doing? There is nothing to worry about. Everything is facilitated for them and their babies.

Now selling The Pill to those teenagers is like saying "you are allowed to have sex at this young age, but be careful not to get pregnant". What morals are we expecting these "children" to have. They are no longer living their age of innocence. And that's not to mention the danger of STI and STD.

HIV is more prevalent in Southern Africa's richest countries

HIV in Africa has reached its highest rate in the richest countries, negating the usual association of HIV and poverty; Elizabeth Pisani, scientist in the industry said.

During a discussion at the Frontline Club on Tuesday on her newly released book, Wisdom of Whores, Pisani said: “Our data and research showed that there is more HIV in southern Africa. HIV is more prevalent in Southern Africa’s richest countries.”

She said that people in the HIV field make it easier for themselves when relate the virus to poverty. However, three in the four highly affected countries are the richest in Southern Africa: South Africa, Batswana and Zimbabwe.

The name of her book reflects her experience with “sex workers” as she likes to call them. She said that she learnt a lot from whores and drug users.

HIV national research guidelines changed after her chat with a transsexual sex worker. When she mentioned that transsexual sex workers have three clients a week, the latter showed her disagreement. Pisani then told her that this is the average for transsexual sex workers according to a research that the team did speaking them. The sex worker then told her that the research team is talking to the wrong people. Because any sex worker who could be with a research team is not with a client and thus does not have to be three clients a week.

Pisani was convinced of her point and they then changed the national guidelines of HIV research and those were then changed internationally in the World Health Organisation.

Sharp rise in heterosexual HIV cases

By Jeremy Laurence, Health Editor

The Independent
Wednesday, 26 November 2008

The number of people infected with HIV acquired through heterosexual contact in the UK has almost doubled in four years, figures issued yesterday show. There were 960 new diagnoses in 2007 compared with 540 in 2003, the Health Protection Agency said.

Although the bulk of the 4,260 new infections diagnosed in this country last year were acquired abroad, the sharp increase contracted in the UK has taken them from one in 10 to almost one in four of all heterosexual cases.

A spokesman for the HPA said the UK heterosexual cases were concentrated in the African community, and most were infected by partners infected abroad. "They are quite small numbers and although they were acquired in the UK they are linked with people who have travelled," he said.

The annual figures published by the agency yesterday show an estimated 77,400 people living with HIV in the UK of whom more than a quarter – 20,000 people – are unaware they are infected.

The agency backed proposals published in September by three Aids organisations for wider testing, including an HIV test for all new patients registering with a GP or attending hospitals in areas with more than two cases per 1,000 population. Cases are highest in London but other towns with high rates include Luton, Watford, Slough, Brighton, Bournemouth, Eastbourne, Northampton, Nottingham, Blackpool and Manchester.

Valerie Delpech, head of HIV surveillance, said: "It is very worrying that so many people are unaware of their HIV status. Wider testing in high-prevalence areas is urgently needed."

The figures show a continuing rise in infections among gay men who accounted for 41 per cent (3,160) of the 7,734 new diagnoses. Almost a third of infections identified last year were diagnosed late – delaying treatment.

Lisa Power of the Terrence Higgins trust said: "Gay men and African people are most likely to have undiagnosed HIV in the UK so we would urge people in these groups in particular to recognise their level of risk and get tested for HIV regularly."

Deborah Jack, chief executive of the National Aids Trust, said: "Most worrying is the number of people who should be on HIV treatment but who are not because they are unaware of their infection or because they are opting not to start treatment. People with HIV can expect a good life expectancy if they are diagnosed early and take medication as advised."

Sandra Gidley, health spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats, said: "These figures are the legacy of a government which has left sexual health services by the wayside. Ministers must introduce changes recommended by the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV. It is crucial we ensure future generations are not put at risk."

Replacing trans fats could save lives

Replacing trans fats with healthier oils could prevent 30,000–100,000 premature cardiovascular deaths in the United States each year.

According to the Journal of Public Health Policy, some researchers have suggested that replacing trans fatty acids with healthier alternatives could also reduce the incidence of Type 2 diabetes in the US by as much as 40%.

Trans fats are used to enhance the crispness, stability, and flavour of many processed foods. This has attracted the attention of consumers but eventually became a risk factor.

The Centre for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994 to require that food manufacturers label the trans fatty acid (trans fat) content of their food products. When harmful effects were evidenced, some food producers rejected the claim that trans fats are harmful and delayed any action by calling for further research. Other companies reduced the usage of trans fats.

FDA refused to ban food additives altogether.

Recently, several cities and states have banned trans fats in restaurant food.

In their journal Public Health Public, Nicholas Freudenberg from City University of New York and Sandro Galea from University of Michigan School of health said that advocates’ efforts to bring policy changes to eliminate the corporate practices influence on public health have been opposed by industry and its supporters.
They suggested considering how fundamental factors such as the current relationship between markets and government influence corporate policies and in turn how these policies influence health behaviour.

No more HAPPY HOURS

British MPs call for banning happy hours at pubs and bars as well as selling alcohol in lower prices. Happy hours involve selling low-priced alcohol usually between 5-7pm. The unlimited consumption of alcoholic drinks people drive people to binge-drinking and thus, alcohol fuels violence.

Police are complaining they are being distracted by the number of incidents happening due to over booze that are taking them from other serious crimes.

Around 150 drinkers packed Redback Tavern pub in Acton on Sunday between 5-7pm due to its £10 "all you can drink offer".

Chairman of Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz said in his report: "We cannot have, on one hand, a world of alcohol promotions for profit that fuels surges of crime and disorder and, on the other, the police diverting all their resources to cope with it." According to the committee, alcohol related crimes cost the country £7.3billion a year.

An NHS research showed that alcohol is 65 per cent more affordable in 2006 than it was in 1980. Experts encourage banning advertising for alcohol as an attempt to reduce binge-drinking. The University of California calls for a similar control for alcohol like that is for tobacco. There are about 22,000 premature deaths every year in Britain related to alcohol. Binge-drinking cost Britain £25billion a year.

Facts and figures from different sources in the UK:
• A report by the Ministry of Justice shows that 87,200 women and girls were arrested for violence last year, compared with 42,200 in 2003. This is equivalent to 240 violent attacks by women every day. It comes amid concerns that binge-drinking is fuelling a rise in assaults by women.
• Legal drinking age is 18 if in public. Over five if in private. Calls to raise it to 21.
• The official figures released this week say that 13 teenagers are admitted to hospital every day due to binge drinking.
• The most recent figures show that 4,647 under-18s needed treatment in hospital for complaints related to binge drinking in the year from 2003-2004. This is a rise of 11 per cent in the last 8 years.
• Fifth of children aged 11 to 15 drinking at least once a week.
• UK's young people are among the heaviest drinkers in Europe, according to a recent survey of 15-16 year olds all across the continent.
• In the UK, the total number of teenage girls binge drinking is higher than the number of boys. 32% of girls and 25% of boys aged 15-16 said they had been on a drinking binge (once or more) during the last month. (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Drugs Nov. 2004).

Reporting on mental health problems and suicide

Reporting on mental health problems and suicide is an aspect of journalism that journalists should handle with care. Any offensive word could harm readers who are concerned in the issue having mental problems or surrounding people with mental problems. When reading about their own mental stages described in words that could not do any effect but to make them feel worse about themselves and their lives.

When mentioning mental health problems, we are talking about schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder…etc.

The role of the media is strong. It is a double-edged sword. It could be kind to mentally ill people or could give them offensive names, including loony, maniac, nutter, psycho and schizo. Journalists could say “a schizophrenic patient” or someone “who suffers from bi-polar”.

The way the media handles the issue emphasizes the stereotype given to those people. One in eight people would not live next door to someone with a mental health problem as 50 per cent think they are dangerous and scary. This segment of the society is the most excluded.

Moreover, 1/3 of mental health stories published in the media connect these problems with violence. The concept is also illustrated in films connecting mental problems to violence. In films, such as Psycho, Hannibal and Silence of the Lambs, mentally ill characters were depicted as massacres.

This leads to a more dangerous social-economic crisis. People with mental health problems are often rejected in workplaces or sacked after they develop mental illness and thus stay jobless not being able to make a living and feed their children. Their living standards get worse and so does their health condition. Mental health problems cost the United Kingdom government £77bn a year.

Being more positive when reporting on mental health problems could reduce the stigma as well does reporting on suicide. Being more open when talking about suicide could encourage people to seek help. Killing one’s self is a legitimate newsworthy subject to tackle.

The way of reporting it could save someone’s life or drag more people toward it. Including help lines could make people who have suicidal thoughts wanting to seek help. On the other hand, romanticising suicide and giving excessive details could urge copycat suicides. For example, after several newspaper reports of suicide by the unusual method of antifreeze poisoning mixed with lemonade caused nine cases of deliberate antifreeze self-poisoning within the next month of reporting.

One in four people in the UK develop mental health problems. The issue is not only a matter of concern to a minority. They should not be alienated when talking about them.