Pubdate: Wed, 23 Aug 2006
Source: Prince George Free Press (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.pgfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2135
Author: Arthur Williams
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?143 (Hepatitis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

OUTREACH KEY TO FIGHT

Prevention and education programs have been successful in reducing 
HIV infection rates in high-risk populations, but Canada hasn't done 
enough to address the problem among aboriginal youth, according to Jan Tatlock.

Tatlock is one of four members of the Northern Aboriginal HIV Task 
Force who attended the 16th International AIDS Conference in Toronto, 
Aug. 13-18. She is also the manager of public health at Carrier 
Sekani Family Services.

"There is a lot of work being done in prevention programs. The 
research is in, we know they work," Tatlock said. "[But] there is 
still a lack of political will and a lack of funding."

Canada's HIV infection rate was 0.33 per cent in 1998, according to a 
United Nations study. That rate was less than half the 0.76 per cent 
infection rate in the U.S., and much lower than many African nations 
which have infection rates of five to 30 per cent.

However, certain portions of the Canadian population have much higher 
rates of infection.

"The highest number of HIV/AIDS infection is in the aboriginal 
community -- especially youth 14-24," Tatlock said.

HIV infection rates among aboriginal youth has been linked to use of 
intravenous drugs such as heroin and cocaine, she added.

An ongoing study of 235 aboriginal intravenous drug users in Prince 
George found seven per cent were infected with HIV and 62 per cent 
had hepatitis C. In Vancouver, the study looked at 277 aboriginal 
intravenous drug users and found 17 per cent had HIV and 57 per cent 
had hepatitis C.

Unlike other parts of the world, Canadian aboriginal HIV victims 
frequently are infected with HIV as a co-infection with hepatitis C 
and tuberculosis, she said.

"Fast on the heels of [hepatitis C], HIV follows. Folks with 
[hepatitis C] and HIV tend to die of [hepatitis] before succumbing to 
HIV," Tatlock said.

It is very difficult to tell exactly how many people are infected 
with HIV, she said, because of the stigma associated with it. In 
addition, many young aboriginal drug users are transient and are 
constantly moving into and out of the community, she said.

The task force has been looking for alternative solutions to reach 
out to the transient drug user population, Tatlock said.

"We will have to hit the streets," she said. "We've purchased an 
outreach van. We need to have a mobile unit which can go where people live."

The outreach van would become a mobile needle exchange centre and 
offer information on health services and counselling, Tatlock said.

"We would be able to build that trust with people," she said. "Once 
they develop that rapport or trust, they are more likely to seek help."

Of the 235 aboriginal drug users surveyed in the study, 22 per cent 
said they had a difficult time getting clean needles, Tatlock added, 
while only 8 per cent in Vancouver had the same problem.

However, finding government support for the outreach van has been a 
slow process.

Attending the AIDS conference in Toronto will help the task force 
continue to champion HIV prevention programs in the North, she said.

"The most important thing for me is there is a lot of prevention 
programs out there... and we've seen that they have worked," Tatlock 
said. "It tells us we're on the right path. That, to me, is very 
valuable. Hopefully we can use that information to convince others to 
support our project."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman