The Indigenous HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Are We Invisible? LaVerne Monette, Canada International AIDS Conference Mexico City, August ,2008

The Aboriginal Epidemic: What DO We Know From the Risk Assessment Division of the Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, PHAC: Reported in 2006

1998-2005 Aboriginal peoples are over-represented in the HIV epidemic in Canada Aboriginal peoples make up a growing percentage of positive HIV reports and reported AIDS cases Injecting drug use continues to be a key mode of HIV transmission in Aboriginal communities

1998-2005 HIV has a significant impact on Aboriginal women A higher percentage of Aboriginal peoples test positive for HIV at a younger age when compared to non-Aboriginal persons (also true of a reported AIDS diagnosis) Between 200 and 400 Aboriginal people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2005

1998-2005 Aboriginal peoples represent 22.7% of HIV positive test reports Aboriginal peoples represent 6% of the population of the provinces which report ethnic information (3% Canada-wide) 58.9% of the Aboriginal HIV positive test reports were among injecting drug users

1998-2005 Aboriginal women represented 47.3% of positive HIV test reports among Aboriginal peoples Aboriginal women represent 38.9% of reported AIDS cases Youth made up 41.2% of HIV positive test reports among Aboriginal peoples

What We THINK We Know: Research Studies Heterosexual HIV transmission is rapidly taking over injecting drug use as a mode of transmission There is an alarming increase in the numbers of new HIV positive test reports in the over 40 age group The numbers of Aboriginal women who are living with HIV/AIDS is under-represented

What We THINK We Know There are a significant number of Two Spirit women living with HIV/AIDS Aboriginal peoples living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto are younger than elsewhere in Ontario Substance use in and of itself is a risk factor in Aboriginal communities

Common Indigenous Risk Factors for HIV/AIDS Displacement from traditional lands Loss of culture Residential Schools/Removal of children from communities Poverty Poor Health and inaccessible health care

Common Risk Factors Unemployment Lack of formal schooling Gender based violence Homophobia Substance use

Governmental response Fund short time limited projects with no sustainability Funding cuts Send funds outside of Canada Ignore good science—refuse to implement harm reduction measures

Suggested Priorities Local, regional, national and international Indigenous partnerships Bottom-line policy statements and leadership engagement Nothing about us without us