August 11, 2006

This Week in Washington
1. Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Labor-HHS-Appropriates Bill Update
2. NIH Announces Results of Hispanic HIV Prevention Program

Announcements
1. International AIDS Conference Webcast Information
2. AAHIVM Announces Record Number of HIV Specialist Credentialing Applications

This Week in Washington
1. Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Labor-HHS-Appropriates Bill Update
Earlier this year 73 Senators voted in favor of the “Specter-Harkin” budget amendment providing $7 billion more than the President’s FY 2007 request for programs in the FY 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill. However, only $5 billion was granted in the Appropriations Bill that recently passed in the full committee. Some members of the health and education communities and their staffers have started to discuss a strategy for obtaining the remaining $2 billion.

To that end, the sponsors of the amendment, Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) are expected to write a letter in early September to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Chair of the Appropriations Committee Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee Robert Byrd (D-WV). The letter will urge them to uphold the Specter-Harkin budget and to provide $7 billion over the President's Labor-HHS FY 2007 funding request by providing an additional $2 billion for the bill. Once the letter is released, organizations are requested to urge the Senators who voted for the Specter-Harkin budget amendment to sign onto the letter. The Labor-HHS bill is not expected to go to the Senate Floor before November elections, so efforts to gain signatures on the letter should continue until November.

Here is the list of Senators who voted for the Specter-Harkin Budget Amendment, not including Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA):

The Coalition for Health Funding, of which AIDS Action is a member, has created a suggested recess message to send to the 71 Senators listed above. It says:

“You are on record as voting for the Specter-Harkin budget amendment to add $7 billion over the President's FY 2007 budget request for health and education programs. To date, only $5 billion of that amount has been provided. That amount only flat funds most programs, building in severe budget cuts enacted last year (Include specifics on HIV program and funding needs here). We urge you to support adding the remaining $2 billion to the FY 2007 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. A letter to that effect may be generated and circulated by Senators Specter and Harkin in September. If so, we hope you will demonstrate your continued commitment to these programs by signing on.”

AIDS Action urges organizations and individuals to contact the 71 Senators that voted for the Specter-Harkin amendment to request that they express dissatisfaction that the full $7 billion was not provided for the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill and requesting the additional $2 billion.

2. NIH Announces Results of Hispanic HIV Prevention Program
On August 7, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced the results of a randomized controlled study of a prevention program among Hispanic adolescents. The study was led by Dr. Antonia Villarruel, of the University of Michigan School of Nursing and funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research at NIH.

This was the first controlled study to look at the impact of a program designed for Hispanic youth and with Hispanic cultural values in mind. The program took place in Philadelphia with 553 adolescents taking part. Their average age was 14.9 years and 87 percent were eighth- through 11th-grade students. It consisted of 50-minute presentations delivered on six consecutive Saturdays to small, mixed-gender groups in English and Spanish. The HIV risk-reduction modules were part of a larger, more general health promotion program focused on improving diet, getting more exercise, and avoiding tobacco, drugs, and alcohol.

Participants were told that abstinence is the only foolproof way to avoid getting the AIDS virus but that if they did have sexual intercourse, they should use a condom. The program delivered that message in the context of Hispanic cultural values such as love and protection of family and machismo.

In discussing the value of machismo associated with Hispanic culture, the study noted the concept’s good and bad aspects. On the negative side, it talked about an emphasis on physical aggression and the idea that men make unilateral decisions, rather than involving women. On the positive side, it talked about protecting one’s family as being macho. The message to adolescent boys was that one could protect one’s self, one’s partner and one’s child by taking steps to avoid getting or transmitting HIV by abstaining from sex or wearing a condom. Doing so was depicted as a sign of strength. For girls, avoiding sex or having protected sex with condoms was similarly emphasized as consistent with protecting one’s family, a value that would override any notion of needing to be submissive to the male.

Follow-up surveys were given up to a year after the programs were completed. To address the issue of reliability with self reported sexual behavior, the importance of giving honest answers was stressed before the program took place. Those in the HIV risk-reduction program were 34 percent less likely to report having had sexual intercourse in the three months prior to being surveyed than those in the control group and 47 percent less likely to report having had multiple sexual partners. Participants also were considerably more likely to report wearing condoms during intercourse. The results showed a reduction in sexual intercourse and risky sexual behavior among Hispanic teens who were involved in the program.

HIV infection ranks as the fourth-leading cause of death for Hispanics ages 25 to 44. HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect Hispanic adolescents, with the incidence of AIDS for adult and adolescent Hispanics more than three times higher than among their non-Hispanic white counterparts. Against this backdrop, the study found that culturally appropriate prevention programs are key to slowing the transmission of HIV.

It is the hope of Dr. Villarruel that the successful Hispanic prevention program be taught more widely, possible through school sponsorship. An obstacle with broadening this program through school districts is federal policies that prevent funding for programs that mention condom use along with abstinence and some school districts sensitivity about sexual issues.

For more information see http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/aug2006/ninr-07.htm.

Announcements
1. International AIDS Conference Webcast Information
The XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006) is rapidly approaching. It will be held on August 13-18 in Toronto. The theme of the Conference is “Time to Deliver.” There will be a focus on the promises and progress made to scale-up HIV/AIDS treatment, care, and prevention. Many organizations are hosting free, live web casts of the conference as well as email updates for those who cannot attend.

In partnership with the International AIDS Society, kaisernetwork.org is the official webcaster of the International AIDS Conference, providing access to the daily developments that take place in Toronto next week. You can sign up for Kaiser’s Daily Update Email at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/aids2006. The Daily Update email will include links to all of the coverage on kaisernetwork.org, including: Live and tape-delayed webcasts and transcripts of each day's sessions with slide presentations, including the opening and closing sessions, all plenaries, and selected other sessions and press conferences, audio podcasts of select sessions, daily narrated video highlights, and interviews with newsmakers and journalists to summarize conference developments. Please email info@kaisernetwork.org or call 202.347.5270 x373 for more information.

In addiction to Kaiser’s Daily Update, the following websites are also offering coverage of the International AIDS Conference:

• www.timetodeliver.org - The Community HIV and AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP) is hosting this web cast and uncensored, independent activist blog.
• www.e-alliance.cn/iac2006.jsp - An ecumenical media team will be providing daily articles and press releases from faith-based presentations.
• www.rhrealitycheck.org - RH Reality Check and Advocates for Youth are hosting this site, featuring evidence based prevention developments.

2. AAHIVM Announces Record Number of HIV Specialist Credentialing Applications
The American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) has received a record number of exam applications for its 2007-2008 “HIV Specialist” credential, an increase of more than 110 percent from a similar period two years ago. The credential is attained by taking a multiple choice exam that assesses a provider’s HIV knowledge in both United States and International HIV Care. The credential is valid for two calendar years, beginning January 1st of the year following successful exam completion.

Dr. Jeff Schouten, AAHIVM board chair said, “The significant increase of new credentialing applications over this two-year cycle demonstrates the dedication of HIV care providers to remaining as current as possible in HIV disease management knowledge. Providers value the HIV specialist designation behind their title, because it reflects their commitment to continually increasing standards of HIV care.”

The AIDS Action Weekly Update
The Weekly Update is written with a mind toward the interests of our members. If you are interested in membership with AIDS Action, we invite you to contact members@aidsaction.org.

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