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• HIV CARE TODAY
 HIV and Sexual Function in Women Over 50
"How do we as clinical practitioners proceed with our HIV-positive women over 50 who report sexual dysfunction? Do we tell them they are just 'frigid,' as women in general were told decades ago?" Bethsheba Johnson, G.N.P.-B.C., A.A.H.I.V.S., asks. "Oh, no we don't. ... [W]e must assist them in being healthy sexual beings."
 HCV Treatment Studies at AASLD: Wow ... and I Mean WOW!
"I didn't attend 'The Liver Meeting' (the nickname for the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, AASLD), but the studies presented there ... on HCV treatment were absolutely mind-boggling," Paul Sax, M.D., writes.
 I Am Tired of Watching Them Cry: Facing the Emotional Burden of HIV Stigma
HIV physician Lisa Fitzpatrick, M.D., M.P.H., has all too often watched her patients break down into tears when she asks them who else knows about their status. "They are crying because whether they have been infected with HIV for one year or 20, they are suffering with their burden in silence," she writes. "We can stop these tears."
 "Supersized Alcopops": The Dangers of Excessive Alcohol Consumption for People Living With HIV
"While the popularity of various illegal substances rises and falls, alcohol consistently remains the granddaddy of recreational drugs," David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., writes. In this blog entry, he offers an overview of the connection between alcohol intake and complications among HIV-infected people.
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• HIV NEWS & VIEWS
 Steven Natterstad, M.D., on "The Ultimate Unscheduled Event": The Loss of His Husband, Bob Frascino, M.D.
"You, Dr. Bob's global online family, have suffered an immeasurable loss," writes Steven Natterstad, M.D. In this blog post on TheBody.com, Natterstad writes about the life and loss of his husband and partner for 18 years, Robert Frascino, M.D. -- a.k.a. our longtime friend, colleague and online expert "Dr. Bob," who passed away unexpectedly in September.
 Hillary Clinton Expresses U.S. Commitment to Creating "AIDS-Free Generation"
In a rare speech by a top U.S. official addressing HIV, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton this week committed the U.S. to ramping up its efforts to create the first "AIDS-free generation" by employing a range of prevention efforts, including the "treatment as prevention" approach.
 Head of U.S. Office of National AIDS Policy Announces Resignation
"Jeff Crowley, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, announced yesterday that he is resigning from his post effective in December," Candace Y.A. Montague reports. "He stated that there is never really a good time to leave a position like his and that he is ready to move on to the next phase of his life."
 Will This Generation's Magic Johnson Please Stand Up?
This week marks 20 years since Magic Johnson disclosed his HIV status, instantly changing the face of the epidemic. But today, we're starving for a straight, male celebrity with HIV who can be this generation's role model. We're certain he's out there, somewhere. Our news editor Kellee Terrell asks: "What will it take for him to come forward?"
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• HIV/STD TRANSMISSION & TESTING
HIV Prevention Begins With Knowing One's Own Risk, but Many Know Less Than They Think
"A recent study underscores the concern that there is still a large number of persons who possess knowledge of HIV transmission risks without recognizing their own risk for infection," Bethsheba Johnson, G.N.P.-B.C., A.A.H.I.V.S., writes. Many surveyed for the study engaged in high-risk behaviors, yet insisted they were at low risk for HIV.
 Pediatrician Panel Urges Commencement of HIV Testing at 16
Though U.S. guidelines have long urged doctors to regularly test nearly all people for HIV between the ages of 13 and 64, adoption of the approach has been slow. Now the American Academy of Pediatrics is trying to help: It recently revised its recommendations to urge HIV testing for teenagers if they live in an area with an HIV prevalence rate higher than .1%.
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• THE PATIENT PERSPECTIVE: FEATURED ON THEBODY.COM
 Taking Your HIV Meds Every Day: A Step-by-Step Video Guide
"The way you handle this next stage of your HIV is going to determine how well you live the rest of your life," says Joe Ohmer in this step-by-step video guide. He should know: Joe is living with HIV himself, and as an HIV treatment adherence peer educator in a busy clinic, it's his job to help others learn to stick to their meds. In this helpful video, Joe talks about and shows you key tools that can help you plan for taking HIV meds.
 Mark S. King: Walking Through Emotional Crisis (Video)
"This is a rather personal blog video, there's no doubt about that. I'm even a little apprehensive because it doesn't offer the usual helpful tips or the 'entertainment value' of my other videos," Mark S. King writes. We disagree: In this entry exploring his recent breakup, Mark talks with therapist David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W. -- and the result is a hugely important resource for anyone coping with pain and loss.
 Shana Cozad: The Pain Blog
"I acknowledge you. I feel you with my every walk and climbing of stairs, I feel you when I sit and I feel you when I lay down. ... I wanted nothing more when I was growing up than to be acknowledged for who I was. Perhaps you need to be acknowledged too." Shana Cozad shares her unique way of coping with the physical pain from a myriad of ailments and HIV treatment side effects.
 Jeannie Wraight: The End of the Pariah
As studies increasingly show that HIVers on stable treatment are at very low risk for transmitting HIV, Jeannie Wraight has some straightforward advice for people struggling with the stigma of living with HIV: "Please, don't let anyone, including yourself, make you feel diseased or contagious or like a threat ever again. ... The stigma we have faced was always wrong and now even more so."
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