HIV Prevention into an LGBT Health Context

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HIV Prevention into an LGBT Health Context

• Paul Martin
• Queensland Association for Healthy Communities

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Overview

• Setting the Scene
• History of the Queensland AIDS Council
• HIV Prevention for Gay/MSM
• Expanding from HIV to LGBT Health
• Queensland Association for Health Communities
• Capacity Building LGBT Health Promotion
• LGBT Health is Good for HIV Prevention
• Challenges

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Setting the Scene
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Setting the Scene

• 35,000 120,000 gay/msm in Qld.
• 8 of gay community attached men HIV ve
• 150 new HIV diagnoses in 2005 an increase of 7
  on previous year and 53 since 2000
• 25 of infections were recently acquired

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History of the Queensland AIDS Council

• The Queensland AIDS Council was formed in 1984 by
  members of the gay community in response to the
  AIDS epidemic.
• Since that time the organisation grew to deliver
  care support for people with HIV, HIV
  prevention for gay/msm and Indigenous communities
  and peer education through Queensland Positive
  People (QPP)

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HIV Prevention for Gay/MSM

• Our work is based on the Ottawa Charter for
  Health Promotion.
• This means that we
• Develop Personal Skills Knowledge
• produce HIV prevention campaigns resources
• post health information on our websites
• run workshops for community members
• staff the mens sexual health 1800 line
• Strengthen Community Actions
• provide extensive volunteer opportunities
  training
• provide training for LGBT organisations on HIV
  prevention
• facilitate LGBT interagency meetings
• participate in LGBT community events
  initiatives

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HIV Prevention for Gay/MSM

• Create Supportive Environments
• challenge stigma and discrimination
• facilitate the sex on premises venue (SOPV) forum
• reinforce the safe sex culture
• Re-orient Health Services
• provide LGBT awareness training
• provide cultural awareness training
• advocate on behalf of LGBT people
• produce information on LGBT health issues for
  services

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HIV Prevention for Gay/MSM

• Build Healthy Public Policy
• are a voice on HIV, sexual health and LGBT issues
• are a voice on indigenous sexual health issues
• participate in government HIV advisory group and
  working groups

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History of the Queensland AIDS Council

• In 2003 Queensland Health changed the way it
  funded community based organisations, and in 2004
  QuAC lost funding for care support services for
  PLWHA to a church based organisation.
• At the same time QPP became an independent
  organisation.

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Expanding from HIV to LGBT Health

• Consultation paper presenting options for future
  direction of organisation
• Broad agreement to widen scope to LGBT health
  issues
• Change name of organisation to better reflect new
  role
• Change objects, Board structure etc.
• January 2005 June 2006
• Build our capacity knowledge, skills, networks,
  funding

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Queensland Association for Healthy Communities

• Our Vision
• A Queensland where all lesbian, gay, bisexual and
  transgender people achieve the best possible
  health and well-being and participate fully in
  the life of communities, free from stigma and
  discrimination.
• Our Mission
• To enable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
  people to increase control over and improve their
  health, as a resource for social, economic and
  personal development and an important dimension
  of quality of life.

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Queensland Association for Healthy Communities

• Our Objectives
• To promote the health of LGBT Queenslanders.
• To promote the sexual health of LGBT
  Queenslanders, with a focus on preventing HIV
  among gay men.
• To help to build healthy and vibrant LGBT
  communities.
• To operate an effective, efficient and inclusive
  organisation.

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Capacity Building

• Community Resource Centres providing meeting
  space and access to office equipment for other
  LGBT groups.

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Capacity Building

• Healthy LGBT Communities Fund providing small
  grants of money to LGBT groups and projects.
• New website providing a resource and virtual
  meeting place for the LGBT communities of
  Queensland.
• Auspice groups act as accountable organisation
  for small groups

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LGBT Health Promotion

• LGBT Health Systems Project identifying and
  addressing barriers for LGBT people to access
  health services and improve health outcomes.
• Create and Maintain State-wide Networks
• Providing Sexuality and Gender Identity Awareness
  Training
• LGBT Sexual Health Referral Directory
• Policy, Research and Advocacy

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LGBT Health Promotion

• Challenging Stigma Discrimination homophobia
  campaign, advocacy
• Volunteer Action Teams taking action on health
  issues of common concern (e.g. LGBT ageing).

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LGBT Health is Good for HIV Prevention
Sexual Health
Violence
Drugs
Social Isolation
Alcohol
Suicide
Relationships
Negotiation
Health Literacy
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LGBT Health is Good for HIV Prevention
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Challenges

• Capacity to meet widened expectations
• Access to funding outside of HIV
• LGBT identity as a organising focal point
• Perception of turning away from HIV
• Credibility within the lesbian transgender
  communities
• Stronger organisation with a diversified funding
  base or more vulnerable

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Paul R Martin

• pmartin_at_qahc.org.au
• www.qahc.org.au