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Monday, 09 November 2015 16:22

Privacy Policy

We are committed to maintaining the accuracy, confidentiality, and security of your personally identifiable information ("Personal Information"). As part of this commitment, our privacy policy governs our actions as they relate to the collection, use and disclosure of Personal Information.

Our privacy policy is based upon the values set by the Canadian Standards Association's Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information and Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.

1. Introduction

We are responsible for maintaining and protecting the Personal Information under our control. We have designated an individual or individuals who is/are responsible for compliance with our privacy policy.

2. Identifying Purposes

We collect, use and disclose Personal Information to provide you with the product or service you have requested and to offer you additional products and services we believe you might be interested in. The purposes for which we collect Personal Information will be identified before or at the time we collect the information. In certain circumstances, the purposes for which information is collected may be clear, and consent may be implied, such as where your name, address and payment information is provided as part of the order or donation process.

3. Consent

Knowledge and consent are required for the collection, use or disclosure of Personal Information except where required or permitted by law. Providing us with your Personal Information is always your choice. However, your decision not to provide certain information may limit our ability to provide you with our products or services. We will not require you to consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of information as a condition to the supply of a product or service, except as required to be able to supply the product or service.

4. Limiting Collection

The Personal Information collected will be limited to those details necessary for the purposes identified by us. With your consent, we may collect Personal Information from you in person, over the telephone or by corresponding with you via mail, facsimile, or the Internet.

5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Personal Information may only be used or disclosed for the purpose for which it was collected unless you have otherwise consented, or when it is required or permitted by law. Personal Information will only be retained for the period of time required to fulfill the purpose for which we collected it, or as may be required by law. [If applicable, include a description of any partieswith whom you may share Personal Information.]

6. Accuracy

Personal Information will be maintained in as accurate, complete and up-to-date form as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it is to be used.

7. Safeguarding Customer Information

Personal Information will be protected by security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity level of the information. We take all reasonable precautions to protect your Personal Information from any loss or unauthorized use, access or disclosure.

8. Openness

We will make information available to you about our policies and practices with respect to the management of your Personal Information.

9. Customer Access

Upon request, you will be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of your Personal

Information, and will be given access to it. You may verify the accuracy and completeness of your Personal Information, and may request that it be amended, if appropriate. However, in certain circumstances permitted by law, we will not disclose certain information to you. For example, we may not disclose information relating to you if other individuals are referenced or if there are legal, security or commercial proprietary restrictions.

10. Handling Customer Complaints and Suggestions

You may direct any questions or enquiries with respect to our privacy policy or our practices by contacting:

The Executive Director
AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia
5516 Spring Garden Road, Suite 200,
Halifax, NS B3J 1G6
P: (902) 425 4882
F: (902) 422 6200
E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Additional Information

Cookies

A cookie is a small computer file or piece of information that may be stored in your computer's hard drive when you visit our websites. We may use cookies to improve our website’s functionality and in some cases, to provide visitors with a customized online experience.

Cookies are widely used and most web browsers are configured initially to accept cookies automatically. You may change your Internet browser settings to prevent your computer from accepting cookies or to notify you when you receive a cookie so that you may decline its acceptance. Please note, however, if you disable cookies, you may not experience optimal performance of our website.

Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other third party sites that are not governed by this privacy policy. Although we endeavour to only link to sites with high privacy standards, our privacy policy will no longer apply once you leave our website. Additionally, we are not responsible for the privacy practices employed by third party websites. Therefore, we suggest that you examine the privacy statements of those sites to learn how your information may be collected, used, shared and disclosed.

Published in HEAL NS

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Saturday, 11 July 2015 11:03

Check Me Out

Coming Soon … Check Me Out 2024!

Check back for details.

If you have questions please contact Progam Coordinator Olivia Kerr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 782.774.8178.

OUTcomes (2015) … What You Told Us!

Check out the key results from our feedback survey of gay / bi / bi-curious men about the Check Me Out campaign in this great new infographic here.

Sexual Health Maintenance Made Simpler

CheckMeOut logo We have a much clearer picture today about how and why gay / bi / bi-curious men are still getting infected with HIV at significantly higher rates than the general population. To reflect this new information, we have created an easy-to-use sexual health checklist for men to take to their family doctors or other healthcare professionals. We encourage men to use the checklist as a resource to educate both themselves and their doctors about regular sexual health maintenance. A second expanded checklist for doctors and other healthcare professionals is also available. Links for each checklist are below, as are links for more information too.

Sexual health can be a very complicated subject. We developed the Check Me Out Checklists to make things a whole lot easier for gay / bi / bi-curious men (and their healthcare professionals).

Information for gay / bi / bi-curious men

HIV Prevention Is Different Now
Up to 75% of new infections in gay, bisexual and bi-curious men are the result of condom-less anal sex with a male partner who DOES NOT YET KNOW he is HIV+. For several reasons, newly infected people are highly infectious to others, and frequently it is newly infected men who are the source of infection for other men. Early and regular testing for all sexually active gay, bisexual, and bi-curious men is our best chance to interrupt this cycle.

HIV Treatment Is ALSO Different Now
Advances in HIV treatments have moved HIV away from being the automatic death sentence it was once considered to being a chronic but “manageable illness.” As well, recent research indicates that those who are on HIV treatments and maintain undetectable HIV viral loads can greatly reduce infectiousness to others (early research indicates by as much as 96%). Early detection and treatment has become important, not only for the long-term health of the HIV+ person, but for the prevention of other HIV infections as well.

Getting Tested For All STIs
We now know that having other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) profoundly increases the risk of HIV transmission – getting OR giving – by as much as 400%!

HIV is actually very difficult to get, as it needs to get directly into your bloodstream to actually infect you. For HIV negative men having another STI may provide a doorway for HIV to enter your body by causing sores, lesions or inflammation on or inside delicate tissues. For HIV + men, having another STI will significantly increase your viral load (so long as your body is fighting infection) making you much more infectious. As well, an STI may provide an unexpected doorway for HIV to leave your body and enter someone else’s. STIs can also be more serious, and progress more quickly for people who are HIV+.

Syphilis, in particular, is increasing amongst men in HRM at significant rates – check out Public Health’s syphilis campaign, The Hard Facts here.

But… wouldn’t I know if I had an STI?
Men can have any STI (including HIV) without having any obvious symptoms. Without testing, you simply wouldn’t know you were infected.

However, a lack of symptoms does not mean damage (even permanent damage) isn’t being done to your health, or that you cannot pass that infection on to others. STIs do not go away without treatment. Getting tested regularly is the only way to protect both yourself (by getting treatment ASAP if infected), and your sexual partners (by avoiding passing on HIV or other STIs to them).

What Tests Should I Get and How Often?
We recommend all sexually active gay, bisexual and bi-curious men get tested at least once a year for:

HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B & C (blood test)
Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia (urine test for penis, swab for oral or anal contact)
If you have multiple sexual partners (6 or more per year) we recommend testing every 3-6 months.

What about Traditional “Safer Sex?”
Condom use for anal sex is still the gold standard in HIV prevention for men who play with men. Other harm reduction approaches can be used even in the absence of condoms. You can download a pamphlet on reducing the harm when pdf barebacking (216 KB)

Sexual Health beyond STIs
How you manage your sexual health outside of “having sex” is just as important as practicing “safer sex” or “harm reduction” approaches. Sexual health maintenance also means getting regular STI tests and exams with your doctor or other healthcare professional. This includes getting checked for testicular, prostate and colorectal cancer, and getting vaccinated for those STIs for which a vaccination exists.

We recommend that you consider vaccination against:

Hepatitis A&B (coved by MSI if you identify as gay, bi or other “man who has sex with men”)
HPV (not yet covered by MSI, but research recommends it for men under 26 and for HIV+ men)

Partnering With Your Family Doctor
Looking after your sexual health is something that we all can do in a variety of ways. Starting a conversation with your doctor can be a key part of that, and hopefully the Check Me Out Checklist can make that happen. See 'Downloadable Resources' below to get your copy of the Checklist for men.

If you have questions about any aspect of this campaign please contact Progam Coordinator Olivia Kerr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 782.774.8178.

pdf Checklist for men - Halifax (716 KB)

pdf Checklist for men – Sydney (729 KB)

pdf Checklist for men – Rest of NS (712 KB)

Information for doctors & healthcare providers

PART 1: The Larger Social Context

MSM & Healthcare
Many “men who have sex with men” (or “MSM,” and this includes those who identify as gay and bisexual, but also may include some who identify as straight or bi-curious) in Canada are less likely to seek out tests and treatments for their overall health, and especially their sexual health, even when they know their health may be at risk. (This applies to many lesbian, female bisexual and transgender people too.) There are several reasons.

Informed & welcoming Healthcare Professionals?
Until 1969, gay sex was a criminal offence in Canada, and until 1973 the medical community formally pathologized just BEING homosexual (in the DSM). The distrust many MSM have of formal institutions (including health care) continues to the present. Especially for older community members, that continues to influence their feelings about accessing the healthcare system.

Healthcare professionals are not often adequately trained for, or aware of, many of the unique health challenges that MSM (and others in the LGBT community) experience (see PART 3 for details on some of these unique health challenges).As well, health professionals themselves are not immune to prejudice and may be intolerant of MSM or their relationships (whether knowingly or not).

Internalized Homophobia
Many MSM (and other LGBT people) may have internalized society’s homophobia to some degree. This may make them less likely to identify themselves to health care professionals as gay / bi (or lesbian or transgender), or even see health care professionals at all. If people value themselves less, they will also value their health less.
Being a member of a group that still experiences prejudice, discrimination, and even the threat of violence in their lives, LGBT community members typically experience heightened levels of long-term systemic stress.Not surprisingly (and not unlike other minority groups), LGBT community members seek out ways to ‘self-medicate’ to relieve or escape from that stress via various coping behaviours. This shows in higher levels of smoking, alcohol and drug use, and even in sexual behaviour (sex as escape).These external pressures, often coupled with internalized homophobia (that results from living in these external pressures), also informs higher rates of depression, related mental health issues and suicide.

A Perfect Storm…
The combination of societal homophobia / internalized homophobia + heightened level of stress + unhealthy coping mechanisms + an often inadequately informed health care system contribute to many unique health challenges for LGBT community members. For these and other reasons, MSM are much more prone to certain health challenges than their exclusively heterosexual counterparts.The Check Me Out Campaign seeks to begin to remedy those healthcare disparities for MSM, primarily with regard to their sexual health, but also with a look to other (often intersecting) health issues as well.What follows in Parts 2 and 3 is a list of the major areas of concern regarding sexual health, and broader health areas respectively, that you might wish to explore with your gay, bisexual and ‘bi-curious’ male clients.

For our Annual Sexual Health Checklist for My Gay, Bisexual and Bi-Curious Male Patients, click here to download a copy.

PART 2: Sexual Health Recommendations

HIV & Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)
Worldwide, most of the people with HIV and AIDS are heterosexual. But in developed nations like Canada, the largest single affected group continues to be “men who have sex with men” (MSM) which includes those who identify as gay and bisexual, but also those who identify as straight or maybe ‘bi-curious.’ In Nova Scotia, 50% of new HIV infections diagnosed each year are still from male-male sexual contact.

HIV Prevention Is Different Now
Up to 75% of new HIV infections amongst MSM are the result of having unprotected anal sex with a partner who is infected but not yet tested. He is also likely in the acute stage of infection, not undergoing treatment, has a homogenous and highly virulent strain, and so is highly infectious. Early and regular testing for all sexually active MSM is our best chance to interrupt this cycle of newly infected men being the source of infection for other men.

HIV Treatment Is ALSO Different Now
Advances in HIV treatments have moved HIV away from being the automatic death sentence it was once considered to being a chronic but “manageable illness.” As well, recent research indicates that those who are on HIV treatments, and maintain undetectable HIV viral loads, can greatly reduce infectiousness to others (early research indicates by as much as 96%). Early detection and treatment has become important, not only for the long-term health of the HIV+ person, but for the prevention of other HIV infections as well.

Getting Tested For All STIs
Certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are also more common amongst MSM men (and the reticence to see a doctor for testing and/or treatment facilitates those rates). Syphilis, in particular, is increasing amongst men in HRM at significant rates – check out Public Health’s syphilis campaign, The Hard Facts here. The prevalence of anal sex play amongst MSM makes them more vulnerable to acquiring some STIs (esp. HIV, Hep B & C, and certain parasites). While having any STI is a cause for concern, having an untreated STI increases the risk of acquiring, or passing on, HIV by as much as five times.

HIV is very difficult to get, as it needs to get directly into your bloodstream to actually infect you. For HIV negative men having another STI may provide a doorway for HIV to enter their body by causing sores, lesions or inflammation on or inside delicate tissues. For HIV+ men, having another STI will significantly increase their viral load (so long as their body is fighting infection) making them much more infectious. As well, an STI may provide an unexpected doorway for HIV to leave their body and enter someone else’s. STIs can also be more serious, and progress more quickly for people who are HIV+.

We recommend that all sexually active MSM:

be vaccinated for Hepatitis A&B; this is covered by MSI for MSM as an “at risk” population for Hepatitis
get at least an annual test for HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B & C, as well as Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia (and include oral and anal (if sites of sexual contact) swabs for Gonorrhoea and Chlamydia in addition to the standardurine test)
Stool test for ova / parasites, especially Blastocustis hominis
checked for lymphadenopathy, especially inguinal (forLGV) neck and axilla

HPV & Anal / Genital Cancers
Genital and anal warts are caused by infection with HPV. Genital warts on the penis are common in both heterosexual and MSM. However, anal warts in males tend to occur more frequently in gay/ bi men.
Some strains of HPV cause genital and anal warts, and some strains are linked to certain forms of cancer. When HPV causes cancer in men, it most often causes anal cancer. Anal cancer occurs more frequently in men with damaged immune systems (including those with HIV).

We recommend that all sexually active MSM:

be vaccinated for HPV, especially for HIV+ men and men under 26; this is currently not covered in Nova Scotia by MSI for MSM, but research recommends the vaccine for this population;
have an annual rectal exam, including anal lesions; especially for men over 50, and all HIV+ men;
be checked for lymphadenopathy, especially inguinal for LGV, neck and axillary.

Broader Sexual Health
In encouraging MSM to be more proactive about the sexual health issues that are more prevalent for them as a population (through getting regular HIV and other STI tests) we are also hopefully making this behaviour seem more comfortable and “routine.” To further strengthen that “routine,” we are also including broader “men’s” sexual health recommendations on the Check Me Out Checklists too.

Therefore… we also recommend that all MSM:

over 21 – learn to do a testicular self-exam
over 40 – be assessed for early detection of prostate cancer
over 50 – have a colorectal cancer screen

For our Annual Sexual Health Checklist for My Gay, Bisexual and Bi-Curious Male Patients, click pdf here (1.01 MB) to download a copy.

PART 3: Broader Health Considerations

Sex, And Alcohol & Drug Use
Gay and bi men are more likely to have increased rates of use of alcohol and other intoxicants (legal or not) that may contribute to liver disease. The use of intoxicants can also contribute to behaviours that increase the risk for HIV and other STIs. While under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicant, people tend to have sex more often, are less likely to use condoms, and/or are less likely to use condoms correctly.

If MSM use intravenous drugs, then the inherent risks for both HIV transmission and Hepatitis C transmission via drug paraphernalia are also causes for concern. More recently, the transmission of Hepatitis C through sexual contact between HIV+ MSM has come to light. As with other STIs, MSM are also considered at increased risk for Hepatitis B infection, which has been linked to liver cancer and other forms of liver disease, including cirrhosis of the liver.

We recommend that all MSM who make excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs:

be encouraged / supported to consider addictions counselling

Smoking & Lung Cancer
Like alcohol and drug use, smoking rates among gay and bi men are higher than the general population (as are exposures to second-hand smoke because of social interactions with higher concentration of smokers), so gay and bi men may be at increased risk for lung cancer, and other smoking-related illnesses (e.g., emphysema and heart disease).

We recommend that all MSM who smoke:

be encouraged / supported to consider smoking cessation

Anti-Gay Violence / ‘Gay Bashing’
These are often not viewed as health concerns, but they should be. Physical violence can lead to bodily harm, emotional trauma, hospitalization, etc. ‘Gay bashing’ (and especially the threat of gay bashing) is far more common than most people realize and many anti-gay “hate crimes” never get reported, due to the victim’s fear of further discrimination, shame, intimidation by police and similar concerns.

We recommend that all MSM who experience violence:

be supported to report violence, or threats of violence, where appropriate
be encouraged to seek counselling to manage the emotional fallout of being a target of violence where appropriate

Gay Domestic Violence
Domestic violence can also lead to significant bodily harm, and is also very rarely reported by MSM, due to victims’ fears of discrimination, intimidation by police, and the lack of services for male victims of domestic violence, etc. Due to the lack of reporting of these crimes, the rates of gay bashing and gay domestic violence are most likely much higher than statistics indicate.

Same-sex partner abuse may ring the same alarms as heterosexual couple violence; however anti-gay sentiment and internalized homophobia add additional layers of complexity. The abusive partner may use society’s bias against their sexual orientation (or gender identity in the case of transgender persons) to abuse and isolate their partner.The most telling sign of anyone in an abusive situation is fear of their partner, or strong anxiety about displeasing their partner.

With men in same-sex relationships there are a few unique considerations:

men (gay or straight) often fear that no one will believe them
many gay/bi men hesitate to report abuse for fear of exposing of their sexuality
many male couples share the same group of friends, so the victim may be worried about losing the support from both his partner and mutual friends
gay men often feel they cannot seek help from agencies that mostly offer help and advice to heterosexual couples.
few services, if any, cater to services for men (gay or straight) as victims of domestic violence

Warning signs specific to same-sex couples might include a partner who:

threatens to tell friends, loved ones, colleagues or community members about their partner’s sexual orientation.
tells you that authorities won’t help gay men.
tells you that leaving the relationship means you’re admitting that homosexual relationships are deviant.
tells you that domestic violence is a normal part of homosexual relationships or that men are naturally violent.

We recommend that all MSM:

be supported to report domestic violence where appropriate;
be encouraged to seek counselling to manage the emotional fallout of being a target of domestic violence.

Mental Health Issues
As is often seen with groups that experience persistent prejudice and/or discrimination (sometimes even from their own families), and possibly even the threat of violence as mentioned above, gay and bi men often experience lifelong elevated levels of stress that manifests in various ways. This accounts for higher levels of ‘self-medicating’ with tobacco, alcohol and other intoxicants and also contributes to other “escapist” behaviours – including escape through sex. Suicide rates are higher than that of heterosexual counterparts, and many gay men suffer from depression and low self-esteem. When a person has low self-esteem, they tend to value their life (and their health) less seriously. They are therefore less likely to protect themselves against HIV and other STIs, and other health problems.

We recommend that all MSM:

be encouraged, where appropriate, to seek counselling and/or other supports if they show elevated signs of psychological stress.

For more information about depression and HIV, click here.

Body Image Concerns
Gay and bi men are more likely to experience body image problems and eating disorders (such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa) than are their straight counterparts. Gay men might also be more likely to view their (own and other men’s) bodies as sexual objects, which can lead to dissatisfaction and poor body image. While regular exercise is very good for cardiovascular health and in other areas, too much of a good thing can be harmful. As well, the use of substances such as anabolic steroids and certain supplements, to achieve that “perfect body,” can affect health adversely.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, being overweight and/or obese are problems that affect a large subset of the gay community: “bears” (hairy and often ‘big’ men) or “chubs” are fetishized within some parts of gay male culture. This can contribute to diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

We recommend that all MSM:

be encouraged, where appropriate,to seek counselling and/or other supports if they show signs of body image problems, eating disorders, or overweight and obesity problems.

For our Annual Sexual Health Checklist for My Gay, Bisexual and Bi-Curious Male Patients, click pdf here (1.01 MB) to download a copy.

pdf Checklist for doctors and healthcare providers (1.01 MB)

For more information about Check Me Out
If you have questions about any aspect of this campaign please contact Progam Coordinator Olivia Kerr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 782.774.8178.

Community Partners

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Campaign Endorsed by

Funders
Campaign funding provided by the Community Health Board Development Funds of Halifax, Southeastern, and Chebucto West; also by Capital Health (prideHealth, and Public Health).
Photography provided by: Dana Fraser
Online media sponsorship: Wayves
Print media sponsorship: The Coast

GMH CMO
The Check Me Out Campaign is an initiative of the Gay Men’s Health Project as part of ACNS’ ongoing HIV prevention work. Two family physicians and five community partners were involved its development.

Published in Campaigns

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Saturday, 11 July 2015 09:59

Preventing Hepatitis

The word ‘hepatitis’ basically refers to inflammation of the liver while the reasons for the inflammation may vary from viruses such as Hepatitis A, B or C or even as a result of alcohol consumption or taking medications that negatively impact the liver. A person can acquire more than one hepatitis virus at a time, take a look at the chart below that explains the basic differences.

Hepatitis ABC’s

	Hepatitis A	Hepatitis B	Hep C
Transmission How the virus passes from one person to another	Fecal-oral route	Blood and body fluids (similar to HIV)	Blood-to-blood contact only; fluids that contain blood
Progression of the disease	Infection usually clears on its own. Mild illness possibly including fatigue, fever and jaundice	85% can clear the virus without treatment. Chronic infection can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and cancer	20% clear the virus without treatment. Chronic infection can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis and cancer
Treatment	None	Antiviral medications with varying success	Antiviral medications with varying success
Vaccine	Yes	Yes	No

symbol online

Hepatitis C Transmission: https://www.catie.ca/prevention-how-transmission-occurs/hepatitis-c-transmission
Common Questions About Hep C: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCPo7qb5mW4
Talking About Hep C: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB5bnHOzxvs HEP NS: https://www.hepns.ca/

Published in Info & Resources

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Wednesday, 24 June 2015 10:10

Programs & Services

HEAL NS offers a wide variety of programs and services targeted to our diverse communities. You’ll find everything from knowledge sharing and prevention techniques, to workshops, support and programs for individuals, community groups and health professionals.

HEAL NS also is bringing back our yearly knowledge exchange forum (look for it in 2025) where the latest information and emerging issues are discussed. The Forum engages PLHAs, people living with HCV co-infection, representatives from community-based HIV/AIDS organizations and broader sexual health organizations, health professionals, and those with a stake in the future of HIV-STBBI work in Nova Scotia.

To find out more information, choose from the following links below.

Published in Progs & Services

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Wednesday, 24 June 2015 10:10

Living with HIV

Thanks to current available treatments, people with HIV are now living longer and with better quality of life than ever before. If you are living with HIV, it's important for you to have the information necessary to keep you healthy.

After the initial shock of a positive diagnosis you’ll find yourself thinking about how to live again. The information in the sections below may help answer your questions. If you cannot find what you’re looking for please contact us. We will either find the information, or get you in contact with someone or an organization that can.

Of course, always talk to your health practitioner about any questions and concerns you may have.

Published in Living with HIV

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Friday, 05 June 2015 11:11

The ACNS Stigma Campaign

A few years ago, ACNS, in collaboration with a variety of community partners, launched a province-wide campaign in response to the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs). It was a great success and the message is still relevant today.

Stigma is “a quality that is seen to mark an individual as different or bad,” and discrimination is “the behaviour or action tied to stigma.” The negative treatment of HIV+ people is discrimination, based on stigma.

Factors contributing to stigma and discrimination include:

HIV is often seen as a life-threatening illness. This is often the result of the lack of resources for education and support across NS
HIV is often associated with already stigmatized behaviours such as man-to-man sex, injection drug use or sex-work, etc.

Stigma and discrimination can cause real damage to lives – affecting someone’s work, housing, medical servicesand safety, causing fear and depression. A disproportionate number of PHAs are living with depression,which only further exacerbates a person’s ability to be well.

But it doesn’t stop there. According to the Canadian AIDS Society, “stigma and discrimination associated with HIV continue to make it difficult to teach prevention and awareness to those most susceptible to infection.”

Eliminating stigma altogether requires a paradigm shift some may think this is unrealistic. But studies show that through a variety of intervention strategies something can be done about stigma and discrimination on many levels. The general population can increase its knowledge about HIV, can improve its attitude towards PHAs, and can increase its volunteerism in the HIV field. Consequently evidence proves that this all can and will reduce the level of stigma and discrimination experienced by PHAs and increase their health and wellness.

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Friday, 05 June 2015 11:10

The Keep it Alive Campaign

The Keep it Alive Campaign, implemented in Ontario by the African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario, has a proven track record of success. Issues around HIV and the African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities vary between Ontario and Nova Scotia. However, we anticipate this unique project will foster collaboration to make this a more Nova Scotia-focussed effort.

Keep it Alive sprang from a workshop called “Strengthening the Capacity of Service Providers to Deliver HIV Prevention Programs to the African Diaspora in Canada.” The Nova Scotia Advisory Commission on AIDS, the Health Association of African Canadians, and the North End Community Health Centre hosted this workshop. Participants included social workers, nurses, immigrant workers and educators who service our ACB communities. While this campaign is provincial in scope, it is important to understand that it will take time to reach all the communities. If youhave not heard of this campaign, and would like to participate, please contact us.

Why this Campaign? Why now?
The idea to encourage province-wide discussion about of HIV within the ACB communities resulted from discussions held among community members. Recently the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness released a report that provided a snapshot of HIV/AIDS data broken down by race, gender and ethnicity. It shows that ACB communities account for the second largest race/ethnicity group of all HIV cases in Nova Scotia (10.6%) and also reveals that 40% of these cases were women (female), which is significantly higher than the overall percentage of women (female) cases at (17.5%).

Our Desired Outcome
Where ACB communities already account for such a small percentage of the overall population, this statistical evidence is significantly high and should not be ignored, instead we must join together to emphasize the importance of the need for the health care system, community based organizations, service providers and ACB communities to work collaboratively across sectors. It is our hope that this campaign will get people talking about the issues related to HIV risk within our communities. This initiative offers a first step to further conversation around HIV/AIDS to increase our knowledge and capacity to respond to HIV in our communities. pdf Keep it Alive - Poster (1.45 MB) .

Taking Action Together
Our communities matter! Some ways we can learn more is by:

Look at links of other websites provide resources about HIV/AIDS
Share information and our Campaign with friends and family... talk about it! We have email-friendly promotional materials. Feel free to request them from us
Reach out to local supports or organizations to hold an event in your community
Contact your local AIDS Service Organization (it’s completely anonymous – we won’t ask your name) to ask whatever questions you might have. Even the best resources can leave you with unanswered questions so sometimes talking is helpful.

Community Feedback
“Our work here at the North End Community Health Centre promotes awareness of HIV/AIDS and we commend the AIDS Coalition in its attempt to target certain groups to increase knowledge and capacity.” ~ Patti Melanson RN, North End Community Health Centre

“This campaign is a much needed opportunity to engage our members and clients most of whom come from societies where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is significantly high.”~ Mavis Suh, African Diaspora Association of the Maritimes

“One of the central objectives of the ABSW is to provide education, through courses, seminars and workshops, about social work and programs directed towards persons of African descent. The objectives and activities of the ASBW have a strong fit with this project objective.”~ Veronica Marsman, MSW, RSW, Association of Black Social Workers

What do you think?
We would be happy to hear your thoughts about the campaign, the good, what works, the confusing and what didn’t work, to help us improve what we do in the future. All comments will be kept confidential. Please email our GMH Coordinator, at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

http://www.accho.ca/en
African & Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario is made up of organizations and individuals committed to HIV prevention, education, advocacy, research, treatment, care and support for African and Caribbean communities in Ontario.

http://www.apaa.ca
Africans in Partnership Against AIDS is committed to the provision of HIV/AIDS education in a linguistically and culturally sensitive context. APAA believes that a supportive environment is essential to the well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs), as well as their partners, families and friends. Take a look at their website for some valuable information related HIV/ AIDS.

http://www.black-cap.com/
Black CAP is an organization that works to reduce HIV/AIDS in Toronto’s Black, African and Caribbean communities and enhance the quality of life of Black people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. You can access some valuable information on their website.

http://www.icad-cisd.com/pdf/Taking_Action_EN.pdf

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Wednesday, 03 June 2015 14:41

Volunteer With Us

HEAL NS offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including Fund Development and Awareness Events, supporting Program work (PLHA services, HIV/STI prevention work, and border health promotion projects), and Board or Committee work.

Make a difference. Volunteer Now.

Progam work occurs during regular office hours - as well as evenigns and weekends. Fund development and awareness events usually occur in the evenings or on weekends.

We have various events occurring throughout the year. Our yearly schedule includes:

The Red Gala Fundraiser
TBD
Halifax Pride Week float and campaigns
Late July
AIDS Awareness Week
Last week of November, ending December 1st
Halifax World AIDS Day Vigil
December 1st

PLHA Services includes our Complimentary and Alternative Therapies (CATS) Program. Registered therapists from differing modalities such as therapeutic massage, and osteopathy offer free appointments to our HIV-positive members; etc.

The Board composition reflects the involvement of people living with HIV, health professionals, community members and various other skill areas. The Board operates under a Policy Board model (CARVER). Board members are elected for a two-year term and participate in at least one of the board committees: (1) Human Resources & Governance Committee; or (2) Vision & Strategy Committee.

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Wednesday, 03 June 2015 14:08

Transgender & Gender-Queer

Transgender

The AIDS Coalition wants to acknowledge the removal of transgender and non-binary from queer history as it pertains to HIV activism. Despite often being at the front of many movements, Trans* people were left behind in many rights that were gained as they still are when we consider HIV/AIDS "a gay men's disease." We will continue to work to bring awareness to the importance of a queer history that includes transgender people.

Support

The large majority of the work we already do is open to transgender clients. Our support programs for those living with HIV apply to any and all genders. Our support groups are gendered in a binary fashion; though they are currently inactive, this is subject to further change. If you would like peer support, we encourage you to contact our support services coordinator or our Trans* health coordinator. Their contact can be found in the staff directory or below.

Sexual Health

Trans people will often have differing needs from cis-gendered folks when it comes to all forms of health, and sexual health is no different. So whether it is navigating dysphoria during sex or how to have sex post-surgery, it is important to stay informed. We have made some printable resources, and more trans-specific sexual health content is on the way. If the rescores we have here do not answer your question of if having a conversation is more accessible to you, please give our Trans* health coordinator a call or email.

Contact

Hanley Smith

Program Coordinator

902.425.4882 ext 226

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Chana Wielinga

Support Coordinator

902-403-7169 (phone+text)

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Trans Language

Gender Affirming Surgeries

Trans Safer Sex Tips

GenderGP: Online worldwide trans healthcare support. Very good for getting Trans informed counselling

GenderGP: Online Transgender Clinic | Worldwide Gender Clinic

The Youth Project: Local queer organization that serves those 25 and under but will still help older folks access support. Community building events, help to lead through the medical system for transition, free therapy and letter of hormone readiness.

Youth Project

Halifax Sexual Health Center: Trans informed clinic that can do things like STI/STD testing, referrals for surgery and distribution of hormones.

Halifax Sexual Health Centre (hshc.ca)

Trans Lifeline: A free hotline that will connect you with an informed transgender peer. This can be used in times of crisis or just to have conversations with someone anonymously and comfortably.

Hotline | Trans Lifeline

Published in Progs & Services

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Tuesday, 26 May 2015 13:44

Community Groups and Health Professionals

Part of our work is to provide community groups and health care professionals with information sessions, training, and resources. We offer several workshops and programs, on various topics, that can be scheduled upon request, and we are also able provide direction and support to organizations who are looking create supportive policy and practices around HIV, HCV & STIs.

For more information on workshops, resources, trainings and support, contact the Program Coordinator at 902.425.4882, ext 226 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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About Us