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Living with HIV

Living well with HIV/AIDS means more than taking care of your health. Managing relationships, preventing transmission of HIV to others, childbirth and pregnancy, and travelling with HIV are just some areas where being HIV positive presents special challenges.

NAPWA's HIV Living Unit provides a prospective of the lived experience of the diversity of positive people to inform stakeholders and policymakers - ensuring that responses are effective, equitable and appropriate.

In this area of our web site you'll find articles and resources focusing on living well with HIV, and telling the real personal stories of people with HIV/AIDS.

Key resources

HIV+ Gay Sex (cover)

A booklet about being gay, having HIV and sex. Second Edition (2002).

Having a Life (resource) – cover image

This ANET resource takes an innovative peer approach to describing the experience of living with HIV/AIDS, based on the personal stories of people living with HIV. Themes covered include treatments, sexuality, disclosure, work, money, pregnancy and fathering children, and more.

Are you clean?

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 26 February 2010

It has become a favourite on online dating sites as the ‘polite’ way to ask about HIV status. Just for the record, it is not polite. It is both stigmatising and discriminatory.

Twenty five years on, do we still suffer stigma and discrimination? David Menadue finds that, in some areas particularly, we still do. read more »

HIV General Practice Workforce Study

Story • Dr Christy Newman • 11 February 2010

The National Centre in HIV Social Research at The University of New South Wales is leading a studyA clinicalPertaining to or founded on observation and treatment of participants, as distinguished from theoretical or basic science. trialA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase IA clinical trial designed to establish whether an experimental drug is safe for humans to take. Phase I studies determine the metabolism and pharmacologic actions of drugs in humans, the side effects associated with increasing doses, and look for early evidence of effectiveness; these studies may include either people with HIV, HIV-negative volunteers, or both tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase IIA smaller clinical trial designed to establish whether a drug is effective. Phase II studies are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug for a particular indication or indications in patients with the disease or condition under study and to determine the common short-term side effects and risks. If there is evidence that the drug is effective, a Phase III study is undertaken, with a larger number of participaants, to confirm this. expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase IIIA large clinical trial designed to establish whether a drug is effective and safe enough for widespread use. Phase III studies include expanded controlled and uncontrolled trials after preliminary evidence suggesting effectiveness of the drug has been obtained, and are intended to gather additional information to evaluate the overall benefit-risk relationship of the drug and provide and adequate basis for physician labeling. expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IVPost-marketing studies to delineate additional information including the drug's risks, benefits, and optimal use. takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. investigating the capacity of the general practitioner workforce to meet ongoing HIV primary care needs in Australia. read more »

Declaration of rights for people living with HIV/AIDS

Story • 18 November 2005

Full text of the revised Declaration of Rights for People Living with HIV/AIDS, launched at the NAPWA Conference on 19 November. read more »

Submission to Inquiry into the Migration Treatment of Disability

Submission • Peter Canavan • 12 March 2010

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services, have asked the Joint Standing Committee on Migration to undertake an inquiry relating to the health requirement in the Migration Act.

NAPWA has made a Submission to this enquiry. read more »

HIV legal website launched

Positive Living article • www.aidslex.org • 4 March 2010
Living with HIV

AIDSLEX is an international tool for activists, community organisations, researchers, policymakers, journalists, health workers and anyone who wants quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law.

The central component of the website is a database of over 2700 documents (and growing) on a range of human rights and legal issues related to HIV. read more »

Dental scheme continues

Positive Living article • Adrian Ogier • 4 March 2010

It looked like it wouldn’t last, but the Medicare Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) Dental Scheme appears likely to continue into the foreseeable future.

Under the scheme, you are able to claim up to $4,250 in Medicare Benefits over two consecutive calendar years. The two-calendar year period is counted from the calendar year of your first dental service. read more »

Tales from The Network

Positive Living article • Adrian Ogier • 26 February 2010

There is a network of workers located at AIDS Councils and PLHIVPerson (or people) Living with HIV. This term is now preferred over the older PLWHAPerson (or People) Living with HIV/AIDS.. organisations around Australasia who understand the variety of treatment issues faced by positive people. We call them the Treataware Outreach Network.

ADRIAN OGIER thought it was time we shared some of their stories. read more »

Treataware to host two 'Chin Wags' during Mardi Gras

Story • Graham Stocks • 28 January 2010

As part of Mardi Gras Festival celebrations this year, NAPWA's Treataware is putting on two CHIN WAG chat shows, one in the east of town, at the Cambridge Hotel in Surry Hills, and one in the west, at the Clarence, in Petersham. Positive people, their friends, partners, carers and other interested parties are all welcome. read more »

NAPWA AGM 2009: Women’s Network Report

Video • Katherine Leane • 7 December 2009

In this video from the NAPWA AGM, convenor of the NAPWA Positive Women's Network, Katherine Leane, reports on the activities of the network over the last year. watch video »

Does smoking have a hold on you?

Positive Living article • Adrian Ogier • 4 December 2009

Based on material from the Queeensland Smoking Cessation Working Party of Queensland Positive People (QPP) "Positively Quitting" campaign, this article may give you the motivation to break the habit! read more »

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HIV Clinical Trials update