NEW YORK CITY, July 7 – The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has been selected to present its findings at the XVII International AIDS Conference being held in Mexico City, August 3-8. This conference convenes international experts to share their findings in order to strengthen health care systems and address underlying social injustices that contribute to HIV risk and vulnerability.

NYAM will present key findings focused on underserved populations

NYAM will present its key findings on the HIV/AIDS community of New York City.

• Characteristics Associated with Newly HIV Diagnosed Drug Users In New York City. While most studies show that African American drug users carry the highest burden of HIV in the United States, there is limited understanding about the socioeconomic status of all drug users. Contrary to stereotypes associated with drug users, this street-survey study of 683 drug users shows that HIV prevention efforts aimed at drug users, including African American and Hispanics, should target those with higher education living in stable housing in more affluent neighborhoods.
• Expanding Pharmacy Role in HIV Prevention and Healthcare Services in New York City. In the context of a recent New York state law change that permits the sale of syringes without prescriptions to prevent HIV transmission, this study sought to capitalize on the public health professional role of the pharmacist. Pharmacies are a key source of access to prescriptions, health-related products, and basic health information. Thirteen pharmacies participated in the study and over 90 percent reported a willingness to expand services and include injection drug users as their customers. Using pharmacies as a source of primary HIV prevention for intravenous drug users proved extremely promising, revealing the integral role pharmacies can play in the community, serving as liaison to hard-to-reach populations.

The conference, taking place just two years shy of the 2010 Global Target on Universal Access for HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention, comes at a critical time as the theme—Universal Action Now—highlights the need for continued urgency in the global response to HIV/AIDS. Although UNAIDS’s most recent global figures show that the overall rate of infection has leveled off, the rate of infection continues to rise in certain segments of the population, and the number of those living with HIV has also increased. In a June 27 article titled “HIV Diagnosis Rates Continue to Rise Among Young Men, African-Americans," The New York Times reported on the rise of HIV diagnosis rates, “Because of new treatment, some men perceive it to be a less severe disease than it once was. This is a new generation that hasn’t been personally affected in the same way that older men have been.”

NYAM has placed itself in the forefront of global research by focusing on vulnerable populations living in urban environments and conducting research to address the particular social determinants within each community. This type of targeted approach is an essential contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS especially now, since the 2007 United Nations State of the World Population reported that by the end of 2008 more than one-half of the world’s population will reside in cities.

David Vlahov, PhD, RN, Senior Vice President for Research and Director of the Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies at NYAM said, “Most of the new epidemics around the world in HIV infection are related to injection drug users. The information we’ll share with these countries about how to stop the epidemic comes from the work that we are doing at NYAM. We are extremely honored to have been asked to share our most recent findings with the global community and look forward to making a significant contribution toward reaching the 2010 Global Target on Universal Access for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention."

The New York Academy of Medicine is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit institution whose mission is to enhance the health of the public. Its research, education, community engagement, and evidence-based advocacy seek to improve the health of people living in cities, especially disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. The impact of these initiatives reaches into neighborhoods in New York City, across the country, and around the world. It works with community based organizations, academic institutions, corporations, the media, and government to catalyze and contribute to changes that promote health.

Posted on 07/07/2008

Contact:
Malini Doddamani
Director of Communications
mdoddamani@nyam.org
212.822.7285