Planned Parenthood Advocate

HIV Prevention and Title X

More than 56,000 new cases of HIV are diagnosed every year; the number of new HIV infections in Minnesota rose 25 percent in 2009. This increase brings the number of new HIV cases back to levels seen in the 90's. According to the Minnesota AIDS project, this dramatic increase in HIV infections can be linked to the decline of comprehensive sex ed in public schools, a general sense that the risk of contracting HIV is low and the perception that HIV is a manageable disease. These and other social factors have contributed to men ages 15 to 24 seeing the largest increase in HIV cases in Minnesota.

Prevention is the key to saving lives and money. Prevention begins with comprehensive sex education. Young people need to know behaviors that put a person at risk for HIV/STIs and the methods to best prevent exposure. Through Title X funding, Planned Parenthood provided counseling, education and conducted 10,000 HIV tests in Minnesota last year. Unfortunately, Title X funding and other preventative care funding is at risk of being eliminated by the GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. While the U.S. Senate rejected the budget bill removing funding from Planned Parenthood, we still do not have a finalized budget.

Removing funding from preventative health programs is negligent and short-sighted. Public health programs have helped prevent 340,000 babies from being born with HIV. Cutting funding for these programs would have a devastating effect for a generation of children being born with HIV especially when mother to child transmission is easily preventable. Cost to treat one HIV infection is over $25,000 per year, but programs to help cover the costs of these treatments may also be cut pushing the burden onto states. Public Health programs need to be above petty partisan politics, preventing disease and promoting health benefits all.

 

-by Rachel Nygaard, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Another reason to support Planned Parenthood: Half of men may have HPV

A new study shows that half of men in the US may be currently infected with HPV, also known as the human papillomavirus. The virus is the primary cause of cervical cancer, which is the second-most common cancer in women worldwide. And some strains of HPV have also been known to cause anal, penile, head and neck cancers in men as well. HPV is also the cause of genital warts in both women and men.

While there are more than 40 types of HPV that are transmissible via sexual contact, most men who get HPV never develop any symptoms or health problems. Although men can be screened and treated if they develop the types of HPV that are linked to genital warts, there are currently no tests available for men to detect whether they are infected with the types of HPV that can cause cancer.

There are, however, vaccines that are available for men and women to protect themselves against the virus. In October of last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the vaccine Gardasil to prevent genital warts caused by certain types of HPV in men and boys, ages nine to 26. The Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends routine vaccination for girls ages 11 and 12.

Planned Parenthood offers the Gardasil shot at a reduced rate at most of their clinics in the state of Minnesota. Additionally, Planned Parenthood provides screening and treatment for other HPV diseases, for both men and women, through Title X funding.

Though many Republicans believe that they will be hurting Planned Parenthood by denying the organization Title X funding, the real victims will be those looking for access to health screenings. This most recent report only emphasizes the importance of Planned Parenthood and Title X in the health of millions of Americans.

Learn more about the HPV and the HPV Vaccine.

 

--by Kyle, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Advocate

The importance of Title X

Planned Parenthood has served Minnesotans for over 80 years, helping men and women access comprehensive, medically accurate information and basic health care. 64,000 men and women in Minnesota utilize Planned Parenthood's services every year; 54% of those patients are at or below the federal poverty level and 83% of patients are eligible for health care services at little or no cost. Health care services provided by Planned Parenthood are especially critical in rural communities, where people are more likely to live in poverty and have extreme barriers to accessing health care. Only 3% of Planned Parenthood patients can afford the full cost of their care and, for many, Planned Parenthood functions as their primary care provider.

Recently, the House of Representatives voted to strip Planned Parenthood of all federal funding by zeroing out the title X budget. This move was based solely on politics and ignored 40 years of effective public policy. Every dollar spend on family planning services saves taxpayers four dollars in Medicaid spending, this is an excellent return on investment that is matched by few other federal programs. Title X funding, contrary to the speeches give by many on the house floor, does not fund abortion services. Title X funds cancer screenings, STI/HIV testing, medically accurate sex education and contraception. The majority of title X patients are low-income women who are uninsured but ineligible for medicaid, making title X one of their few options to access health care services.

Title X grants provide Planned Parenthood of Minnesota with approximately 20% of their funding and eliminating this funding will disproportionately hurt rural Minnesota communities. Rural clinics serve fewer patients and those patients have an even greater need for federal aid.  The map to the left depicts the percentage of births per county to mothers under 18. Teen pregnancy already accounts for a large percentage of births in rural communities. Low maternal age negatively impacts infant health. Infants born to mothers under the age of 20 have a mortality rate 1.5 times higher than infants born to older mothers.

All women should have the knowledge and resources to prevent unintended pregnancies. Contraception services at Title X centers (like Planned Parenthood) prevented 973,000 unintended pregnancies. Without Title X this would have resulted in 406,000 more abortions. Removing funding for Planned Parenthood, one of the few sources for medically-accurate sex education and contraception, will result in more unintended pregnancies and will disproportionately impact women in rural communities.

--- by Rachel Nygaard, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Republicans’ planned budget cuts hurt women and families in rural areas

Women in rural areas would disproportionately suffer under Republican plans to cut Title X funding from Planned Parenthood.  A report released by Planned Parenthood in 2009 shows that rural woman are more likely to face poverty, have less access to health care, and have higher instances of disease than their urban counterparts. 

Poverty is a real issue that many Americans struggle with each day. Minnesotans in rural communities, however, are more likely to be in poverty than their urban counterparts. Additionally, women and children are disproportionately affected by poverty because it severely limits their access to necessary health care services.

Rural residents are less likely to have employer-provided health care coverage or be on any sort of public assistance programs than their urban counterparts, as well. As a result, rural women are more likely to be covered by individually-purchased insurance policies, which have higher premiums, deductibles, and co-payments.

Because there is less access to affordable health care in rural areas, instances of disease and poor pregnancy outcomes are higher. Rural women in Minnesota are 30% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer, with these diagnoses occurring later in life, when there are fewer options for treatment. Infant mortality rates are shown to be higher in rural communities, as well, which is caused, in part, by fewer health care options.

More than half of Minnesota’s rural communities have been designated as health professional shortage areas. Nearly 40% of rural Minnesotans live in communities without adequate access to needed primary care services. Planned Parenthood helps cover the gaps in services by being available. Nearly 6 in 10 women seen at a Planned Parenthood clinic are from rural areas. Women seen at Planned Parenthood clinics would see much less affordable options if the planned cuts by Republicans went through.

Republicans were elected last November with the expectation of job creation and fiscal responsibility. But they have shown in their latest budget that they aren’t interested in addressing concerns facing rural communities. Instead of focusing on job creation and health care to women and families in rural areas, they have set their aim to take away birth control and important screenings for a population that is already struggling. There’s nothing more fiscally irresponsible than that.

 

-by Kyle, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Al speaks about women's health to a packed crowd

Last Thursday, nearly a hundred people packed our Planned Parenthood Minneapolis Uptown clinic to hear Senator Al Franken's take on the latest attacks on women's health in Congress. Senator Franken is back in Minnesota during the recess and came to our Uptown clinic for a tour of the facilities and to learn more about the important services Planned Parenthood provides in Minnesota, as well as to give our supporters an inside look at what's happening in D.C.

The event started with an introduction from Planned Parenthood CEO and President, Sarah Stoesz, who thanked Senator Franken for his constant support of reproductive rights and women's health issues, explaining that he has been engaged and supportive of women's health issues since day one as a Senator.

Next, Sarah introduced Deb Zupke, a former patient of Planned Parenthood in rural Minnesota. Zupke explained that Planned Parenthood is the reason that her sister Katie is alive today. A trip to Planned Parenthood meant an early diagnosis of cervical cancer, and after nearly a decade of treatment Katie is healthy.

Senator Franken then took to the mic, explaining the current assault on women's health. He talked about House's budget, pointing out that the cuts that have been made are the cuts to investments in the future. When asked about what would happen in the Senate, he noted that he feels confident that the Senate will be able to achieve a lot, finding ways around making the extreme cuts made in the House. After much applause, Senator Franken toured the Uptown clinic to learn more about Planned Parenthood's work and hear from Planned Parenthood staff. Afterward, Planned Parenthood supporters thanked the Senator for his strong support of women's health.

Senator Franken recently spoke at a national press conference defending Planned Parenthood.

 

Thank Senator Franken for standing up for women's health!

Sen. Franken's Contact info:

DC Office: (202) 224-5641

St. Paul Office: (651) 221-1016

 

-by Karina, Web Editor, Planned Parenthood Advocate