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STI updates are blog posts from the BCCDC or our community partners about a variety of sexual health topics. These include program updates, clinical practice changes, new research, events, and more. We will not clutter your inbox with frequent emails, and your email address will not be used for any other purposes.
August 1, 2013 by Dr. David Unger, Ethicist, BC Centre for Disease Control
Background The BCCDC is coordinating a provincial pilot project of anonymous HIV testing at testing sites across BC. Anonymous HIV Testing (AHT), which has been long-standing in many jurisdictions, has not formally been available in BC to date. It is often perceived as in conflict with making HIV testing more routine and as having the…
July 17, 2013 by Bobbi Brownrigg, Public Health Initiatives and Innovation Leader, Clinical Prevention Services, BCCDC
Background In British Columbia, all HIV testing is confidential. People can test for HIV using their full name or they may choose to go to a site that offers testing using a pseudonym or their initials. For most people, these HIV testing options work well. However, research and feedback from health care providers and AIDS…
June 19, 2013 by Sarah Callahan, Interim Lead, Chee Mamuk Aboriginal Program, Clinical Prevention Services, BCCDC
“Statistics are human beings with the tears wiped away” – author unknown It is important to remember that behind every number is a person who has a family and is part of a community. Every HIV positive diagnosis deeply affects the person and the people in their lives. Statistics only tell a piece of the…
May 22, 2013 by Deb Schmitz, Executive Director, Pacific Hepatitis C Network
Who we are The Pacific Hepatitis C Network (PHCN) exists to support the community-based response to hepatitis C in the province of British Columbia, the core of which is the voice of people living with and at-risk for hepatitis C. What we do PHCNs two core focuses are Network Building and Capacity Building. This is…
March 6, 2013 by J. Memetovic, Research Assistant, mHealth team, Clinical Prevention Services, BCCDC;, M. van der Kop, Research Epidemiologist, mHealth team, Clinical Prevention Services, BCCDC
Six billion. This was the world’s population at the turn of the century, and is now the estimated number of people with cell-phones across the globe. Integrated into most people’s everyday lives, cell phones are increasingly recognized as a reliable and cost-effective way to improve and facilitate patient-provider communication and improve treatment adherence. Despite mobile…
February 7, 2013 by Angela Kaida, Assistant Professor and Canada Research Chair, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
I’m a big fan of the Somali-Canadian singer-songwriter, K’Naan. As I wrote this post about our community-based research study, the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS), a lyric from one of K’Naan’s songs kept coming to me. He sings: “Until the lion learns to speak, the tales of hunting will be…
January 7, 2013 by Kira Haug, Health Navigator, ASK Wellness Centre
Two years ago, the idea was put forth to the AIDS Society of Kamloops (ASK) board of directors that a group of staff would like to fundraise to travel to Swaziland, South Africa, with Developing World Connections and look for opportunities to provide the same outreach and social justice services that the ASK Wellness Centre provides…
January 2, 2013 by Elayne Vlahaki, Program Coordinator of Evaluation, Pacific AIDS Network
Have you ever wondered what impact BC’s community-based HIV and HCV organizations are having? The Pacific AIDS Network and the BC HIV/HCV Evaluation Advisory Group decided to work towards answering this question by developing the Community HIV/HCV Evaluation and Reporting Tool (the CHERT). The CHERT is an online survey tool that aims to collect annual…
November 21, 2012 by Janine Farrell, BA, MPH Candidate and Lauren Goldman, RN(c), BScN
In British Columbia, trans* and gender diverse** folks face multiple barriers when accessing health care, especially related to sexuality and sexual health. There remains a pervasive lack of understanding and knowledge on transgender lives and bodies in Canadian health services and policy. (1) As a result, transphobia and lack of sensitivity and familiarity with trans…
August 27, 2012 by Sarah Callahan, interim Chee Mamuk Program Lead
In 2011 the Chee Mamuk Aboriginal Program, in partnership with the Northern BC First Nations HIV/AIDS Coalition, hosted two leadership Forums for Chief and council members of BC’s North. The goal of the forums was to help participants gain the knowledge, skills and resources they need to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis and…