O N T H E O N E R O A D QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM GAY HEALTH NETWORK (GHN) ISSUE 7 June 2010 GET IT ON… TO MARK IRISH AIDS DAY 2010 (15TH JUNE), GHN WILL LAUNCH IT’S NEW CAMPAIGN – ‘GET IT ON, GET INFORMED, GET TESTED, GET SUPPORT’ At the 8th Annual Gay Health Forum in Dublin Castle nance for the advert in GCN and the mobile billboard on 18th June and at the Dublin Pride Parade on 26th at Dublin Pride. GMHS and GHN are seeking feedback June with the inclusion of mobile billboards to promote on the design of the new packs and the ‘dual-pleasure’ the campaign. The “Get It On” part of the campaign will condom and lube sachet. incorporate the newly designed safer sex packs, which Please email us your feedback at [email protected]. will be distributed widely by Johnny. The packs (supplied by GMHS) will contain the new ‘dual-pleasure’ combined condom and lube sachet by Pasante Healthcare. This year Pasante is kindly supporting the GHN campaign, via fi- GHN COMMENTS ON... ...THE REPORTED INCREASE OF HIV DIAGNOSES AMONG MSM The HPSC reported that in 2009, 138 MSM (men who recommends improved availability and access to sex- ghn.ie will commence later in 2010. have sex with men) were diagnosed with HIV compared ual health promotion materials outside of cities. Further An information campaign to highlight the higher risk of to 97 in 2008, a startling 42.3% increase when compared expansion of the availability of testing is required in the HIV transmission when poppers is used during unprotect- to previous years. This data shows an urgent need for community setting if we are to reach the population of ed sex. The creatively designed Poppers and HIV informa- continued and, more importantly, increased investment MSM outside of cities, and GHN is planning the promotion tion card will be distributed widely. in HIV prevention and education, and expansion for of safer sex messages widely throughout Ireland, through community initiatives around Ireland. a new mainstreaming sexual health publication for MSM, An information campaign to encourage testing for Hepatitis to be made available in GP surgeries and other public B and promoting the availability of a vaccination. There is a framework to do this, through the NASC HIV health centres nationally. This publication will be completed and AIDS Education and Prevention Plan 2008-2011. This GHN continues to commission and be involved in and distributed by the end of 2010. Further to this, and plan needs to be adopted, resourced, and implemented research to increase the evidence base informing projects in response to the increasing number of younger men urgently by the HSE and relevant bodies. and campaigns. Later in 2010, GHN will commence being diagnosed with HIV, GHN is working with BeLonG research on the needs of MSM living with HIV in an Irish Further analysis of the available data is also needed, To Youth Services to produce sexual health and HIV context, as recommended in the NASC plan. GHN is particularly as some reports indicate that more men are information and provide targeted interventions for also involved in the European Man-for-Man Internet Sex testing. The promotion of HIV testing by GHN, and other younger men under the age of 25. Survey (EMIS), the largest survey of gay and bisexual men organisations, goes hand in hand with preventing new Additional GHN initiatives in the last year included: in the world. HIV infections. Real Lives 3, the All-Ireland Gay Men’s Sex Surveys 2007 and 2008, reports that in 2008, 59% of men • Continued promotion of condom use with the “Rubber GHN is also currently re-designing its website which will indicated that they have had an HIV test. This is up from Up Campaign” condom and lube pack distributed widely. go live in July 2010. We continue to provide HIV and safer 49% of men in 2003 as reported in Real Lives 1. GMHS 17, • Increased communications throughout the sector with sex information in nine languages on the website. the 2009 Annual Report for the Gay Men’s Health Service, the publication of “On the One Road” quarterly GHN membership continues to expand, and the current reports an increase of 13% in first time attendees. newsletter. active members include representatives from the following • The publication of Living with HIV+ Sex, a sexual health Gay Health Network (GHN) is the only network in organisations: Gay Switchboard Dublin, Open Heart information booklet for MSM living with HIV. This Ireland that is committed to and has a specific focus on HIV House, Gay HIV Strategies, Johnny, BeLonG To Youth booklet will be translated into eight other languages prevention and sexual health awareness for gay and Service, Gay Men’s Health Service HSE, Dublin later in 2010 and uploaded onto our website. bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men. AIDS Alliance, Union of Students Ireland, OutWest, In 2008 GHN developed it’s own 3-year strategic plan At the 8th Annual Gay Health Forum in Dublin Castle on Outhouse LGBT Community Centre, Gay Project Cork, which is closely aligned with the NASC Education and 18th June 2010, GHN will be launching new campaigns The Rainbow Project Derry and Belfast, Gay Health Clinic Prevention plan, as well as with the findings of other including: Belfast, and The Southern Trust Newry. relevant research, and current trends in the prevalence of “Get It On, Get Informed, Get Tested, Get Support”: This There are also many individual members in GHN, and STIs among MSM. With limited resources available, GHN campaign reflects the concern at the reported increase membership includes people living with HIV. GHN also is well placed to deliver on the actions and recommen- in HIV diagnoses among MSM, as well as other STIs, and receives active support for some/all of our campaigns/ dations of the NASC Education and Prevention Plan, and promotes condom use, regular testing, and where to get projects from the Sexual Health Centre Cork, Red Ribbon is actively involved in consultation with the HSE to fund further information and support. This campaign will also Project Limerick, AIDS West, Dublin Pride Committee, some projects. be promoted in GCN AND Pride publications and at the Rainbow Support Services Limerick, MarriagEquality, and The NASC Education and Prevention Plan recommends the upcoming Dublin Pride Parade on 26th June, kindly Transgender Equality Network Ireland. increased STI and HIV screening and testing in the supported by Pasante Healthcare and the Dublin Pride In the last year the work of GHN was made possible with community setting. In 2009, in response to the reported Committee. The “Get It On” part of the campaign will be funding and support from GMHS, HSE, and from Alternative increase in syphilis diagnoses among MSM, GHN launched the newly designed condom and lube pack, which will be Miss Ireland (AMI) and Friends for Friends. Continued and Syph-Action Syph-Test, highlighting the rise in syphilis distributed widely by the Johnny peer action group. The increased investment is necessary to maintain and expand diagnoses and promoting testing. The Gay Men’s Health packs (supplied by GMHS, HSE) will contain the new “dual vital work of GHN in the promotion of HIV prevention Service provided on-site testing in gay saunas and bars in pleasure” (a combined -condom and lube sachet). A pilot and sexual health awareness among MSM. Dublin, which included opt-in HIV testing. The plan also project to make the packs freely available through www. www.ghn.ie email: [email protected] PAGE 01 O N T H E O N E R O A D POPPERS AND HIV GHN HAS LAUNCHED AN AWARENESS-RAISING CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT THE INCREASED RISKS OF HIV TRANSMISSION WHILE USING POPPERS DURING UNPROTECTED RECEPTIVE ANAL SEX, ARISING FROM A &REE(EPATITIS"AND(EPATITIS 4HE(EPATITIS"VACCINEISRECOMMENDATION OF THE REAL LIVES 2 REPORT. !VACCINEANDOTHER34) GIVENINTHREEINJECTIONS 3TEPSTO SCREENSAREAVAILABLEAT WHICHMUSTBECOMPLETED The findings of the 2009 report, published by GMHS So, while anal sex without condoms is a high risk, the FOLLOWEDBYABLOODTEST and The Rainbow Project, showed that almost half (43%) same sex using poppers is even more risky.. The aware- of men who had sex in the last year used poppers. The ness-raising)MMUNITY campaign involves the distribution of crea- ALLTHISTAKESEIGHTMONTHSuse of poppers will increase blood flow to the rectum tively designed cards with key messages on the risks, and '-(37ALK )N#,).)# and swell the blood vessels. This can result in a higher advertises6ITAL)NFORMATIONON a new webpage (www.ghn.ie/poppers(EPATITIS") where likelihood of blood vessels breaking, leading to anal bleed- furtherFORGAYANDBISEXUALMEN ANDMEN information is available. "AGGOT3T(OSPITAL $UBLIN ing and an easier way for HIV to enter the bloodstream. 4UES7EDS$OORS/PENPMTOPM 3TEPSTO)MMUNITY WHOHAVESEXWITHMEN 43-3 HEPATITIS B – 4 STEPSST TO IMMUNITY! WWWGMHSIE HAVEABLOODTESTGETTHE FIRSTINJECTION 'AY-ENS#LINIC GHN HAS LAUNCHED AN INFORMATION CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE THEBESTWAY AWARENESS OF THE FREE AVAILABILITY OF THE HEPATITIS B VACCINATION TOPREVENTGETTING 26( &ALLS2OAD "ELFAST ND FOR MSM IN IRELAND. GETTHESECONDINJECTION HEPATITISBISTOGETA 4HURSPMTOPM ONEMONTHAFTERSTEP FREEBLOODTESTAND 4 The ‘4 steps to Immunity’ information cards highlight the VACCINATION risks of transmission, testing clinics and information, and in- WWWRAINBOW PROJECTORGformation on safer practices to prevent the transmission RD of Hepatitis B. GETTHETHIRDINJECTION /RFROMYOURNEAREST34)'5-CLINIC FIVEMONTHSAFTERSTEP FORDETAILSOFTHESEANDMORE TH INFORMATIONON(EPATITISA BC GETABLOODTEST TWOMONTHS REAL LIVES 3 AFTERSTEP TOCHECKYOUR LOGONTOWWWGHNIE LEVELOFIMMUNITY FOLLOWING ON FROM THE REAL LIVES 2 REPORT RELEASED LAST YEAR, REAL LIVES 3 IS A FORTHCOMING REPORT ON THE FINDINGS FROM THE ALL-IRELAND GAY MEN’S SEX SURVEYS FOR 2007 AND 2008. With the final report due to be launched later in 2010, CONDOM USE cocaine, and ecstasy.