By Sustan Teben
A recent report on the Ohio Health Institute emphasizes the importance of prevention and testing after decades of studies and HIV treatment, calling it “insisting the problem of public health in the United States” because the Trump administration proposes to eliminate studies and disease programs.
According to Equitas Health Institute’s Study on HIV researchOn smoking problems related to public health are the most encountered by young adults, with the age group from early teenagers to early 30 years. 58% of the estimated 32 100 fresh HIV diagnoses in 2021.
The importance of sex education and awareness of HIV status is always important, scientists say, but in the current political climate “HIV is often caught in the fire of health care debates and changing politicians.”
“Access to financing resources, educational and preventive programs is inconsistent and, in many areas, highly inappropriate,” showed a study. “Moving on sexual health is to build immunity and show young adults that they are not defined by diagnosis, policy surrounding sexual health or uncertainty of life with HIV.”
The study appears when the Trump administration determines its view on HIV research as part of huge financing cuts in the federal government. Financing has already passed research subsidies related to HIV As part of the National Institutes of Health, including research at universities in the USA and international efforts.
WITH finished grantsTwo went to Ohio State University on research “Impact of development assets on the stigma of the intersection and HIV prevention in black (men having sex with men)” and study “client’s and clinician priorities” regarding two HIV preventing drugs.
Cutting research and financing
But more chops can come because the Trump administration plans to restructure the Health and Social Welfare Department may include Elimination of federal HIV and research programs. These cuts may include the initiative “Ending the HIV epidemic: Plan for America”, a government movement, which aims to reduce fresh HIV infections by 90% to 2030.
Initiative It was started under the previous Trump administrationBut CDC website in the initiative He now mentions a court decision requiring the US Department of Health and Social Welfare to restore the website from February 14. The text at the top of the page claims that all information on the page “Promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the unchanging biological reality that there are two sexes, men and women.”
“The Trump administration rejects gender ideology and condemns the damage caused by children,” now says the site, adding that “does not reflect the biological reality, and therefore administration and this department rejects it.”
HIV is a disease that attacks the immune system, passing white blood cells, which can develop in the acquired syndrome of immunodeficiency or AIDS. According to Equitas Health, symptoms do not always occur with HIV, so testing is necessary to identify.
AIDS was not formally identified in the US only in the 1980s, and even then scientists stated that the government reaction was “minimal”, and the then President Ronald Reagan would not utilize this term by 1985.
The reaction of the community occurred in the form of a bottom -up effort called Act up in 1987, in 1990 Ryan White Hiv/AIDS was created for people with low income living with HIV, an organization that still exists today, currently located as part of the American Administration for resources and health services. The Health Department in Ohio still fits Ryan White Part B program According to you, in the case of HIV services financed from federal subsidies.
The first method of treatment of AIDS was approved in 1996, and cases of illness began to decrease after the release of the first antiretroviral therapy, dealing with the disease, which was then the main cause of death for all American adults aged 25–44.
Although the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been associated with gays since its official identification, data from the early 90s showed that the disease was present in other groups, including members of different sexes, sexuality, races, socio-economic levels and health status, according to Equitas Health.
Preventive efforts began at the local and state level of public health, as well as in the partnership between CDC and national minority organizations.
Testing is “an essential element of preventing HIV, treatment and care”, in accordance with the report, and the lack of awareness about the disease “contributes to HIV spread, because people who are not aware of their statues of infection, are more often involved in behaviors that may transmit virus to others.”
“Barriers in testing include a mark, lack of awareness and limited access to test services,” said the report. “A mark may occur in a patient, his community or healthcare.”
Ohio Law effective since 2012 requires the OHIO health department to develop and administer AIDS and HIV programs, including the system for determining the number of cases, development of counseling and testing programs, risk reduction/education programs for risk groups and pilot programs in the field of long -term care.
Currently, there is treatment to prevent HIV transmission, and FDA has approved the first set of HIV home tests in 2012, and according to Data 2021 CDC finances almost 2 million tests per year.
“Despite drugs that improve life and reduce transmission, there is still no cure for the disease,” said scientists from Equitas Health. “There are two goals in HIV research: permanent viral suppression without drugs and complete elimination of the virus.”
Scientists have found that even with improved treatment and testing, HIV indicators began to grow in 2010.
Sex education
According to the report, the lack of required sex education also has an impact. Sex education in Ohio is seen as lack in many ways, and supporters of sex education enhance the pursuit of requirements after REE against Wade, the decision of the US Supreme Court that the legalized abortion in the 70s was annulled and Discussion on reproductive rights And sexual health was transferred to individual states.
Ohio’s law regarding educational programs, including sex education, has been changed many times over the years, and the last change was adopted in October 2024. Senate Bill 168which, among others, changes related to education, changed the references in Ohio law from the education of “venereal disease” to the education of “sexually transmitted” infection.
The Act adopted last year was severely criticized for forcing school districts to notify parents if the child identifies as LGBTQ+ and allows parents to give up “sexuality content”. During the Commission trial in the SenateHowever, an amendment has been added to the Act to determine that the content, which the account recognized as a reservation is not focused on STI education.
While STI’s education is in Ohio, he is in favor of greater sex education Instructions focused on abstinence Other regulations are currently not enough.
The Council of Information on Non-Profit and Education of the United States said that the Ohio sex education curriculum ”is not obliged to comprehensively, careful medical or taking into account instructions on such topics such as consent, sexual orientation or sexual identity or contraceptive options.”
“It leaves local school districts to decide what sex education program provides,” said the group.
Equitas Health research recognized the resistance of young adults, despite the fact that it is a population that is insane in HIV.
“Young adults with marginalized identity require various and targeted approaches in the field of HIV care,” summed up the report. “However, adults in sexual groups, sex and racial minorities are often excluded from HIV discourse. The unique needs of young adults should be taken into account.” Ding
