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Doxy-PEP Research Roundup for STI Awareness Week
During this week’s observance of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Awareness Week, HIV.gov is sharing a roundup of some of our recent coverage about the use of Doxy-PEP to prevent bacterial STIs. Doxy-PEP refers to the use of the oral antibiotic doxycycline as post-exposure prophylaxis after condomless sex. Research on the efficacy and effectiveness of this new STI prevention tool has been presented at several recent conferences where HIV.gov spoke to national experts about it.
Spread the Word About the Link Between Syphilis and HIV
Once nearly eradicated, syphilis has reemerged as a major health concern in the United States. According to the latest CDC report, 207,255 total syphilis cases were reported in the United States in 2022, representing an 80% increase since 2018. As with HIV, racial, ethnic, sexual and gender minorities continue to be disproportionately affected.
Healthy Recipe: Citrus Quinoa Avocado Salad
This colorful quinoa avocado salad is full of vibrant flavors with the addition of zesty lemons and fresh cilantro. It is also rich in cancer-fighting foods, including healthy monounsaturated fat from avocados combined with fiber-rich quinoa, chickpeas, and fresh vegetables. The dish is plant-based but hearty and filling enough to be a satisfying meal for everyone.
Why Don’t Hepatitis B Vaccines Work as Well for People With HIV?
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a highly contagious viral infection that’s spread through body fluids such as blood and semen. When chronic, it can lead to scarring of the liver, liver cancer and death. People living with HIV are more likely to develop hepatitis B and less likely to be protected from the effective vaccines that are available.
National Transgender HIV Testing Day 2024
Thursday, April 18, marks National Transgender HIV Testing Day (#NTHTD and #TransHIV) 2024, a day that highlights the importance of routine HIV testing, prevention and treatment among transgender individuals, who often face unique barriers to care. In the United States, about 1.6 million people identify as transgender, 300,000 of whom...
Moderate Exercise May Reduce Liver Injury in People With MASH
Moderate-intensity exercise led to lower levels of biomarkers indicative of liver fibrosis and inflammation in people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), according to study findings published in Liver International. MASH, the new name for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and its less severe form, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD; formerly non-alcoholic...
Many Drugs Granted Accelerated Approval May Not Measure Up
Only four out of 10 cancer drugs that were granted accelerated approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) demonstrated a clinical benefit in confirmatory trials after more than five years of follow-up, according to study results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting (AACR 2024) and published in JAMA.
The Pros and Cons of Using AI to Screen for Breast Cancer
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform cancer screening as we know it, but how and at what cost?. Currently, mammograms can correctly identify about 87% of women with breast cancer, according to the nonprofit Susan G. Komen, which notes that mammography sensitivity is higher in women older than 50 and lower in women with dense breasts. Health care providers throughout the United States now offer patients the option of having their mammograms read by both a radiologist and an AI model to increase the chances of catching cancer early and minimizing false positives.
Sexually Transmitted Infections—A Closer Look at NIAID Research
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. STIs have a devastating impact on adults and infants and annually affect millions of people in the United States. Certain STIs can increase a person’s risk of developing cancer and increase the likelihood of acquiring or transmitting HIV. In...
Exercise Improves Cancer Survivors’ Cardiovascular Health
Breast, colorectal and prostate cancer survivors who participated in an aerobic exercise and resistance training program showed improvements in vascular function and reduced atherosclerosis, according to study results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting (AACR 2024) this month in San Diego. “After just four months, patients...
Meningococcal Vaccine Does Not Significantly Reduce Gonorrhea Risk
A vaccine that prevents meningococcal disease did not significantly lower the risk of gonorrhea in the DoxyVAC trial, according to updated study results presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2024) last month in Denver. “Although a small benefit cannot be ruled out, its clinical relevance seems...
Discrimination Linked to Early Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
A recent study found that Black Americans who experience racial discrimination during midlife had an increased likelihood of showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration, Everyday Health reports. About 40% of Black adults reported experiencing at least one act of discrimination last year, according to KFF Health News. Overall,...
$950K Grant to Study the Link Between Stigma, Meth, HIV and Latino Men
It’s well established that stigma and crystal meth use drive HIV transmissions, so better understanding the roots of these challenges and how to overcome them would help reduce new HIV cases. A $950,000 federal grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse will help a professor at the University of Connecticut explore these topics, reports UConn Today.
AI Analysis of Social Media Language Predicts Depression Severity for White but Not Black Americans
Researchers were able to predict depression severity for white people, but not for Black people using standard language-based computer models to analyze Facebook posts. Words and phrases associated with depression, such as first-person pronouns and negative emotion words, were around three times more predictive of depression severity for white people than for Black people.
Failure to Define Long COVID Will Impede Research Progress
Case definitions are crucial in science, as they allow scientists to be sure they’re studying people with an illness versus those without the illness. Without an accurate case definition — or if there are multiple contrasting ones — it’s difficult to estimate prevalence rates, identify biomarkers, and discover effective treatments for a condition.
Video Targeting Black Men May Help Increase Awareness About Prostate Cancer
A video designed to educate Black men about prostate cancer resulted in 97% of surveyed participants acknowledging that Black men are at a higher risk of this disease and 93% saying they would get screened, according to a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, held April 5-10.
WHO Sounds Alarm on Viral Hepatitis Infections Claiming 3,500 Lives Each Day
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, the number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis is increasing. The disease is the second leading infectious cause of death globally -- with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as tuberculosis, a top infectious killer. The report,...
Resources for STI Awareness Week: April 14-20, 2024
STI Awareness Week, observed April 14–20 this year, raises awareness about how sexually transmitted infections (STIs) impact people’s lives. It also highlights the importance of reducing the stigma, fear, and discrimination associated with STIs and ensuring people have the appropriate tools and knowledge regarding the prevention, testing, and treatment of STIs.
Half of People With Hepatitis Are Scared to Share Their Diagnosis
Half of Europeans living with hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV) struggle to share their diagnosis with others due to stigma, according to a multicountry study presented at the World Hepatitis Summit. Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver and affects nearly 354 million people worldwide, according to Health Policy...
Revealing How Cancer Cells Cooperate — and How to Stop Them
Cancer cells team up to survive, spread and grow. A new investigative team led by Fred Hutch Cancer Center breast cancer researcher Kevin Cheung, MD is coming together to unravel how. Supported by a $1 million grant from the Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation, the researchers will explore how clusters of cancer cells communicate to collaborate, and how to target tumor teamwork to help stave off drug resistance and reduce tumor spread.
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Real Health is the leading health magazine for African Americans in the United States. Launched in 2004, the goal of Real Health is to help African Americans of all ages achieve optimum health and wellness—physically, mentally and emotionally—by offering readers current, accurate information based on the latest science through well-researched stories that educate, entertain, uplift and motivate members of the community at large to be their best selves.
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