TOPICS IN FOCUS

Women and Understanding Circumcision for HIV Prevention

In 2007 the World Health Organization recommended male circumcision be included in the larger sphere of HIV prevention methods (WHO). Studies performed in the previous year showed that HIV infection rates were significantly lowered in men who had been circumcised. Unfortunately women did not experience the same beneficial results. However circumcision for men is highly recommended for men to decrease incidence of HIV in men in Sub-Saharan Africa.According to a small study done in Kenya some women mistakenly believe that circumcision provides them with protection against HIV.

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Misinformation Impedes HIV Studies in Africa

While inroads have been made to dispel misconceptions about HIV transmission in industrialized nations, misinformation remains in Sub-Saharan Africa, which has limited studies and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The stigma surrounding HIV deters those who would otherwise be willing to seek treatment from clinical HIV trials because of fear of ostracism from their communities. Volunteers participating in vaccine research are often assumed to have contracted the disease through their work, and those who are at risk of contracting HIV refuse testing.

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Life for Mothers Releases Draft Report of Phase l of its Pilot Project to Reduce Maternal Mortality in Rural Uganda (Preliminary Results)

Life for Mothers (LfM) has released its Phase l Draft Report of its Pilot Project to Reduce Maternal Mortality in Rural Uganda. This report is limited to findings regarding women of reproductive age (WRA) and husbands. In a subsequent report results regarding children over 5 YRO and under 5 YRO will be released including women over 50 YRO and newborns. The link to the draft can be found here: http://goo.gl/gjOIp (pdf) The findings will be submitted for publication shortly.

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