How Do You Douche or Don't? Please Take Our Rectal Hygiene Survey

International Rectal Microbicides Advocates (IRMA) and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health are conducting a brief survey to help us better understand the types of products people use rectally for anal sex including lubricants and enemas or douches.

We are trying to gain a better understanding of rectal practices and behaviors that may affect the risk for sexually transmitted infections among people who practice anal intercourse.

It is a brief survey (takes less than fifteen minutes) and is completely anonymous. It is also available in many different LANGUAGES! This includes English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Thai, and German!

We have been having trouble getting women to take the survey, and we really want to include their perspectives and experiences in the results, as well. Take the survey and if you could, email this to your listservs and help promote the survey! Anyone can take the survey whether they use douches/enemas or not! Thanks so much for your time! You can find our survey here: http://www.keysurvey.com/votingmodule/s180/survey/382277/d7a7/

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at nthakkar@aidschicago.org

[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

Increase in HIV Prevalence Causes Concern in Uganda

via PlusNews Global

Uganda's HIV/AIDS prevalence rate has risen from 6.4 percent to 6.7 percent, according to a recently released national AIDS Indicator Survey.

The population-based HIV serological survey showed that 6.7 percent of adults aged between 15 and 49 were HIV-positive, while at least 500,000 people have been infected with the virus in the past five years.

Uganda's HIV prevalence fell from a high of 18 percent in 1992 to 6.1 percent in 2002; this rate later stabilized and then stagnated at about 6.4 percent in 2004, when the last such survey was conducted.

Some 7.7 percent of women are positive, compared to 5.6 percent of men, according to the 25-page preliminary report launched by Health Minister Christine Ondoa on 15 March in the capital, Kampala. The full report is due for release in June 2012.

Government officials have played down the higher prevalence. "The increase is not much… because of the population growth; there are new people entering into the age bracket of 15 to 19," said Dr Zainab Akol, programme manager for HIV in the Ministry of Health.

However, activists are concerned that the new statistics are the result of gaps in the government's HIV prevention programmes.

"I don't agree that the rise is merely as a result of an age shift - prevention efforts do not match the needs of the population... it is not uncommon to run out of basic [HIV prevention] supplies like condoms," said Milly Katana, long-term activist and one of the inaugural board members of the Global Fund to fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

"We are becoming increasingly concerned about risk compensation as a result of failing HIV prevention messages," she added. "People, especially the elites in cities, have a false sense of safety... we did work 10 years ago but it is not enough; behaviour change is not sustainable without regular doses of information."

Despite years of condom promotion, the survey found that just 28.1 percent of women and 31.4 percent of men aged between 15 and 19 used a condom during their last sexual encounter, dropping to 6.7 percent and 12.2 percent respectively among 30- to 39-year-olds.

Read the Rest.



[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

IRMA Survey On Rect Douching and Enemas in 5 Languages - Please Participate!

IRMA and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health are conducting a brief survey to help better understand the types of products people use rectally for anal sex including lubricants and enemas or douches.

Take the survey in English, Spanish, French, Chinese, or Russian.

We're trying to gain a better understanding of rectal practices and behaviors that may affect the risk for sexually transmitted infections among people who practice anal intercourse and hope you - yes YOU - will fill out this brief anonymous survey (estimated time to complete: less than 15 minutes).

Please take the survey NOW and share this link widely!

[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

Calling all Women and Spanish Speakers- Please Take our Survey!

Dear Women and Spanish Speakers,

We need your help with our Rectal Douching and Enema Survey! IRMA and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health are conducting a brief survey to help us better understand the types of products people use rectally for anal sex including lubricants and enemas or douches. We are trying to gain a better understanding of rectal practices and behaviors that may affect the risk for sexually transmitted infections among people who practice anal intercourse. It is a brief survey (takes less than fifteen minutes) and is completely anonymous.

We have been running this survey for about a month now, and the participation level has been high. However, of the hundreds of responses we have received, less than 10% have been from women! We need more feedback on these anal products from women! We are asking you, ladies, to please take our survey or forward it to anyone you know who may be interested. Women’s opinions and experiences matter in all things anal, and we desperately want to take them into consideration so that women can be better protected from sexually transmitted infections.

Also, with many thanks to IRMA's chapter based in Lima, Peru, we now have a Spanish translation of the survey available! So IRMA blog followers, please forward the survey to anyone you may know who needs the Spanish translation. Thanks IRMA-ALC Lima!

You can click here for the survey or on the "Rectal Douching & Enenma Survey" logo at the top of the page. Thanks again for all of your help!

How do you douche?

TOOT TOOT HEY BEEP BEEP!

IRMA has teamed up with UCLA on another survey - this one on the very exciting and super relevant topic of rectal douching and enemas.

The survey is now available in English.

IRMA and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Public Health are conducting a brief survey to help us better understand the types of products people use rectally for anal sex including lubricants and enemas or douches.

We are trying to gain a better understanding of rectal practices and behaviors that may affect the risk for sexually transmitted infections among people who practice anal intercourse. We hope you will fill out this brief anonymous survey (estimated time to complete: less than 15 minutes).

Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese and Russian versions of the survey are in the works now. Watch this space - we will let you know when they are ready.

In the meantime, please take the survey in English if appropriate, and share this link widely. Thanks!





[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]