Abstinence News and Research

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Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to abstention from sexual intercourse, alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical considerations.

New figures show need for national HIV/AIDS srategy

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) long anticipated revised estimate of annual new cases of HIV infections was revealed in a paper published in the Aug. 6, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The revised estimated number of new infections suggests that the HIV epidemic here in the United States is more severe than current statistics portray.

3 Aug 2008

Study sheds light on why addiction is a chronic disease

Drug addiction dramatically shifts a person's attention, priorities, and behaviors towards a focus almost entirely on seeking out and taking drugs. Now, an animal study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, has identified some of the specific long-term adaptations in the brain's reward system that may contribute to this shift.

31 Jul 2008

Bush says he will sign PEPFAR reauthorization

President Bush on Saturday during his weekly radio address said he is eager to sign legislation (HR 5501) that would reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through 2013, the AP/Google.com reports (Reichmann, AP/Google.com, 7/26).

29 Jul 2008

Soy lowers sperm levels

Men who eat an average of half a serving of soy food a day have lower concentrations of sperm than men who do not eat soy foods, according to research published online in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction, today (Thursday 24 July). The association was particularly marked in men who were overweight or obese, the study found.

23 Jul 2008

Coffee and smoking notorious at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings

More than one million Americans currently participate in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. While AA participants are reportedly notorious for their coffee drinking and cigarette smoking, very little research has quantified their consumption of these two products. Recent findings confirm that coffee and cigarette use among this population is greater than among the general U.S. population: most AA members drink coffee and more than half smoke.

19 Jul 2008

Chantix for smoking cessation performs better than placebos

Six treatments for smoking cessation perform better than placebos - including varenicline (Chantix), recently approved for use in Canada - states a team of researchers from McGill University and the University of Montreal in an article published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.

14 Jul 2008

Talking about sex to teenagers

Sex is one of the most difficult topics a parent can bring up with an adolescent, but a new study finds that parents who are taught specific communication skills can more readily tackle these conversations and sustain them over time.

10 Jul 2008

Obesity can cause fertility problems in men

According to new research obese men have lower volumes of seminal fluid and a higher proportion of abnormal sperm.

10 Jul 2008

Obese men have less seminal fluid and more abnormal sperm

Obese men should consider losing weight if they want to have children, a scientist told the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology today (Wednesday 9 July).

9 Jul 2008

Stopping drinking may lead to health problems including depression

Scientific evidence has long suggested that moderate drinking offers some protection against heart disease, certain types of stroke and some forms of cancer.

8 Jul 2008

Counseling heterosexual couples about HIV in Zambia, Rwanda could prevent 60% of HIV cases

Counseling heterosexual couples living in Zambia and Rwanda about HIV transmission could prevent up to 60% of new cases, according to a study published Saturday in the journal Lancet, Reuters reports (Fox, Reuters, 6/26).

2 Jul 2008

PAHO says ministerial summit on HIV shows high level of commitment

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) welcomes the initiative of ministers of health and education of Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss strategies to strengthen HIV prevention among young people.

23 Jun 2008

Washington Post examines Jamaican campaign to address HIV/AIDS stigma

The Washington Post on Sunday examined an HIV/AIDS campaign launched last year in Jamaica that aims to "destigmatize" the disease and to teach HIV-positive people the "importance of protecting others" from contracting the virus.

10 Jun 2008

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may shrink brain's hippocampus and amygdala

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Jun 2008

Researcher addresses calls for increased focus on male circumcision, partner reduction programs as part of HIV prevention in Africa

NPR's "News & Notes" on Tuesday included a discussion with Daniel Halperin, a senior research scientist in the Department of Population and International Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, about a recent study that recommended a shift in HIV prevention strategies in Africa toward the promotion of male circumcision and partner reduction programs.

30 May 2008

Methadone to be dumped in Scotland as treatment for heroin addiction

A new approach to tackling heroin addiction is about to be tried out in the United Kingdom.

27 May 2008

Guyanese Health Minister Ramsammy discusses HIV/AIDS, health worker shortages at World Health Assembly

Guyana's Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy recently examined issues surrounding HIV/AIDS and health worker shortages at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the CMC/redOrbit reports.

25 May 2008

$50 billion needed for global AIDS control

As Congress considers the renewal of PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the successful US global AIDS program, over the coming weeks, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) President Michael Weinstein offers the following commentary regarding what is needed in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

25 May 2008

Congress should 'resolve' issues preventing consideration of PEPFAR reauthorization legislation, editorial says

Although it is a "bit risky to herald progress during a global pandemic when infections of a disease such as AIDS still seem to multiply by the millions," the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief gives the U.S. a "record that is worth celebrating, if only to show others around the world what's possible," a Wilmington News Journal editorial says.

21 May 2008

Study debunks myths about teens and oral sex

According to a study which looked at teenage sexual practices, contrary to widespread belief, teenagers do not commonly engage in oral sex as a way of preserving their virginity.

21 May 2008