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Rise of Internet Fuels Fears of AIDS Resurgence [well, at leat they didn't blame Dubya]
Reuters ^ | Tue Jul 29, '03 | Paul Simao

Posted on 07/29/2003 7:23:31 PM PDT by Pharmboy

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A growing number of gay and bisexual men in the United States are engaging in risky sex with partners they meet on the Internet, raising fears that the AIDS virus could be poised for a major comeback in the group hardest hit by the epidemic.

Online chatrooms and Web sites are replacing gay bathhouses and sex clubs as the most popular meeting point to arrange high-risk sex, according to two new studies presented on Tuesday at the 2003 National HIV (news - web sites) Prevention Conference.

The findings come amid growing evidence of an apparent resurgence of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as syphilis in men who have sex with men. The presence of sexually transmitted diseases is known to facilitate the spread of HIV.

New HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men have jumped more than 17 percent since 1999, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) reported this week. Some 850,000 to 950,000 Americans have the AIDS virus and approximately 16,000 die from the disease each year.

"It's clear we need to reach gay and bisexual men with appropriate messages, not only in traditional high-risk settings but also online," said Dr. Ron Valdiserri, deputy director of the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention.

In one survey by the California Department of Health Services, 23 percent of gay and bisexual men infected with syphilis admitted meeting sexual partners on the Internet, compared to 21 percent who had done so in bathhouses.

MORE SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS

Researchers noted that men who met partners online, in bathhouses or at sex clubs tended to have more sexual encounters than those who did not.

A separate study by the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California in San Francisco found that 39 percent of gay and bisexual males interviewed online admitted having unprotected anal sex with someone they had met on the Internet in the previous two months.

Eleven percent of these respondents were HIV-positive.

Despite the sobering data, there were some signs the Internet could be used as a tool for delivering HIV prevention and safe sex messages to groups at high risk.

AIDS experts reported success raising HIV and STD prevention with gay and bisexual males online through the use of banner ads, one-on-one outreach sessions and discussions in chat rooms on Web sites.

The anonymity of the Internet often allowed educators to address issues some men might feel reluctant to discuss in clinics or elsewhere. There was also a need to heighten awareness of HIV prevention with other groups such as minorities and teen-agers.

Research presented at the conference showed about 20 percent of blacks and Latinos were unaware of the antiretroviral drugs that had revolutionized the battle against AIDS in the early 1990s.

"Information about these treatments must be communicated more effectively ...," said Valerie Mills, associate administrator for HIV/AIDS at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

About half of the estimated 40,000 new HIV infections reported each year in the nation occur among blacks.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aids; aidshiv; anonymoussex; barebacking; behavior; cdc; chatrooms; downourthroats; gay; grids; hiv; hivaids; homosexual; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; internet; itsalgoresfault; orgies; pc; politicaldisease; politicallycorrect; prisoners; promiscuity; protectedclass; protecteddisease; publicsex; riskybehavior; samesexdisorder; sexaddicts; sexaddition; sexparties; sexualaddiction; sexualdeviances; sexualdeviants; shiftingblame; sluts; worldwideweb; www
Penis in anus = very risky.

Keyboard + typing = no risk.

Any questions?

1 posted on 07/29/2003 7:23:32 PM PDT by Pharmboy
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To: Pharmboy
The anonymity of the Internet often allowed educators to address issues some men might feel reluctant to discuss in clinics or elsewhere. There was also a need to heighten awareness of HIV prevention with other groups such as minorities and teen-agers.

The title of the article suggests that the internet leads people to more risky behaviors, but in the end can help prevent such risky behaviors. So, which is it?

2 posted on 07/29/2003 7:27:48 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife (Lurking since 2000.)
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To: Pharmboy
The Internet is a gay influencing factor?

I thought mall bathrooms, parks and Catholic Churches were.
3 posted on 07/29/2003 7:31:40 PM PDT by dinok
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To: Pharmboy
I know I'm going to catch hell for this ----

But after listening to these mentally deranged people on the news channels being glorified, but I put my limit to hearing them extolled joyously on the radio every 15 minutes about how they are even going to have "straight men" involved with this perversion the HOMOSEXUAL DATING GAME.......


I say TOUGH SH**!
4 posted on 07/29/2003 7:35:05 PM PDT by steplock (www.FOCUS.GOHOTSPRINGS.com)
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To: Pharmboy
raising fears that the AIDS virus could be poised for a major comeback in the group hardest hit by the epidemic.

But, I thought it wasn't a gay disease.

5 posted on 07/29/2003 7:35:13 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
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To: Pharmboy
This article alludes to these findings:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/954153/posts

It's unbelievable, proving that old truism, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." Well, you can't save active homosexuals who have a Death Wish.
All the money in the world wouldn't make a difference to a particular cohort's determination to act carelessly.
6 posted on 07/29/2003 7:40:20 PM PDT by thegreatbeast (Quid lucrum istic mihi est?)
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To: Pharmboy
[well, at least they didn't blame Dubya]

Don't be so sure. Seeing as this is the third year in a row that the national HIV infection rate is on the rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I bet it's only a matter of time before fingers are pointed.

7 posted on 07/29/2003 7:42:15 PM PDT by TenaciousZ
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To: TenaciousZ
Homosexual AIDS sufferers are about to be rediscovered, as were the homeless were the split second W finished taking the oath of office.
8 posted on 07/29/2003 7:45:47 PM PDT by Paul Atreides
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To: Paul Atreides
...and ya know what needs to be done, dontcha? MORE MONEY!!!
9 posted on 07/29/2003 8:07:25 PM PDT by Pharmboy (Dems lie 'cause they have to...)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: Pharmboy
Let AIDS resurge. I'm tired of the constant aggravation perpetrated by that entire scene.
11 posted on 07/29/2003 9:44:22 PM PDT by RLK
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To: Pharmboy
"It's clear we need to reach gay and bisexual men with appropriate messages, not only in traditional high-risk settings but also online,"

I wonder if they mean messages like "Stop the Sodomy"?

12 posted on 07/30/2003 12:35:01 AM PDT by First Amendment
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To: Pharmboy
Has anyone in the lamestream media taken a look at REAL data? I indulge Freepers to review the following:

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats/hasr1302/table21.htm

13 posted on 07/30/2003 2:19:16 AM PDT by Mudcat
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To: Paul Atreides
But, I thought it wasn't a gay disease.

Democrats lie. It helps to sell their social program.

14 posted on 07/30/2003 2:31:28 AM PDT by weegee
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To: Pharmboy; Clint N. Suhks; scripter
A separate study by the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California in San Francisco found that 39 percent of gay and bisexual males interviewed online admitted having unprotected anal sex with someone they had met on the Internet in the previous two months. Eleven percent of these respondents were HIV-positive.

Bugchasers. So, among the most promiscuous sodomites, there is a known 11% chance that they're having unprotected sex with someone who is HIV positive.
15 posted on 07/30/2003 5:12:48 AM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: Pharmboy; George W. Bush; *Homosexual Agenda; GrandMoM; backhoe; pram; Yehuda; Clint N. Suhks; ...
Thanks for the ping. Here are some related links:

16 posted on 07/30/2003 6:50:38 AM PDT by scripter (Thousands have left the homosexual lifestyle.)
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