HIV/AIDS
HEALTH&ADV|CE
I We Westerners most associate the spread of HIV with developing nations and their struggle to deal with a raging plague without access to medicines (only 8% of the estimated 5.5m in need actually receive treatment). But HIV isn’t one for recognising border control and if we were to look on our own doorsteps, we’d see that infection rates of this horrendous disease are increasing in Scotland, and showing no sign of
stopping.
NHS Scotland Laboratories report that between 1 July and 30 September 2004, 105 individuals tested positive for HIV. Every single person that each of those people have had sexual intercourse with is also at risk, as is each of their sexual partners, and so it goes on. In 2002 the Health Protection Agency estimated that of the 49,500 adults who were living with HIV in the UK, nearly a third didn’t know they were
infected.
By June this year the total number of HIV positive people had risen to 64,678, with approximately 4128 in Scotland. It’s no use thinking that if you aren’t homosexual or a needle user that you’re not at risk. Heterosexual infections are the biggest growth group: in 1986 there were fewer than 100, compared with 3500 in 2002. The majority of those were probably infected abroad, but that’s hardly the point; getting on a plane is no excuse to leave your brain behind.
It could happen to you, and it is happening in this country. But arm yourself with knowledge and condoms by the truckload (if you’re lucky) and one day it might stop happening to anyone.
I Go to wwwaverr. org for advice and information on HIV and AIDS.
This page lists a selection of organisations which provide expert health, advice and support in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The List gratefully acknowledges the support of the Scottish Executive in funding this page.
Alcohol and Narcotics
Glasgow
Alcoholics Anonymous
50 Wellington Street. 220 22l4
.\lon l-‘ri ‘lam 5pm. ()845 70‘) 7555 (24 hour). (iroup \IIPPUI’I to help tackle alcoholixm.
Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol 82 l)umbarton Road. (‘lylebank 052 USS l. ()l'lerx general information and adVice including one- to-one counselling l'or _\oung people.
Glasgow City Council Addiction Partnership \\ \\ \\.gla\go\\.go\ .uk. .-\ range ol' cit} -\\ ide \er\ icex. including \pecilic \tlpptll‘l l'or )oting people in\ol\ed in drug and alcohol lISL‘. Glasgow Council on Alcohol
lxl l'ilool‘. Bl’lflol and \Vext llouxe, S2 l'iiion Street. 220 3883. Inlormation. ad\ ice and one-to-one counxelling lot” under 25\ ttlttl Ulllet'x allcclt‘tl b} alcohol.
RCA Trust .\lirren llnthc. Back Siieddon Street. l’aixle). SS7 ()S’SU. Project going l2 25-}ear-old\ ad\icc on addiction ivuex.
Edinburgh
Alcoholics Anonymous
38 ('ockburn Street. (‘all 225 (i()‘)() for meeting time»
Crew 2000
32 (‘ockburn Street. 22() 3403. Mon—Sat 1 5pm. Thu 43pm.
lnlormation on drug\ and \e\u.il health and triendl} .idx ice lrom trained \xorket‘x.
Edinburgh & Lothian Council on Alcohol b ('lilton 'lerrace. 33" SISS Intormation. .id\ ice .iiid \upport Turning Point 3 Smiili‘x Place. 554 25”». Mon l‘l'l 0 30am 5.3llpm ()ne to one counwllmg tor addict\ and \upport Ior their lamilie\
West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service 45 .\tlel.lltle .SII'L'CI. ('raigxhill. l.l\ Ill:_‘\liill. lll5lio 43H 225, ('ouihelliiig. help iii dealing \\Illl lamil} I\\l|t‘\ and help in \xoi'kmg limat'tlx emplo} ment opportunitiex. Youth Action Project cto ('ominuiiit_\ llothe. 33 MM l’lace. lilibtirn. |.i\ing\ton. lll5llh 4b! 5.38 .-\d\ ice and mlormalioii lor _\ouiig people about \ubxtance Illl\tl\t‘.
National
Drinkline
INN) Ill? 3252 Mon l'ri 0am llpiii. Sat tk Sun (i llpm. l‘ree confidential inlot‘itlalion and \upport.
Know the Score (moo 587’ 537i), \\ \x \\ .knou thexcoreinlo. ('onlideiitial drugx inl'orinatioii. 24 hour\ a da}. 7 day a \xeek ('all\ made lrom a landline \\ ill not \hou up on a phone bill and are l'ree. ('allx l'rom a mobile \lll'} in cmt depending on netxuii‘k and ma} \hou upon )iitii' bill. lhe uebxite hax lolx ol' ad\ ice l'or an_\oiie allccted b_\ drug\ and detailx of local support \et'\ ice\.
Smokeline (NM) 34 34 x4. linciiuragement and \upport l'or tho\e \Vllo \\ ant to \top or hax e recentl} \ltippetl \llltiklllg.
Mental Wellbeing
National
Breathing Space (Nil) 838 537 or Minicom (Nil) 317 lol),
\x \\ \\ .breathingspacexcotland.co.uk (ipm 2am. l‘i‘ee. confidential ad\ice l’or tlll}(illt‘ lt‘ellllg lt)\\' or deprexxed.
Sexual Health and STDs
Glasgow
Body Positive Strathclyde () Sand) lord l’lace. Sauchiehall Street. 248 9285. u u \\.bod_\ poxili\e.org.uk. Drop-in centre open Mon. Wed. l‘ri 0am 5pm. 'I’ue tk Thu. 1 lam .S'pm. lnl‘ormation and \ttppol‘l for people \xho are HIV poxitixe. Genito-Urinary Medicine Clinic (GUM Clinic) The Sand} litll'tl lnitiathe. 2 (i Saiid_\l'ord l’lace. Sauchiehall Street. 2] l stint. Drop in clinics Mon Fri 8.30am Illam. B} appointment at other time\ until 7pm Mon l‘ri. ('onlidential adx ice ix oll’ered on contraception a\ \\ ell ax \tlppol'l. counxelling. texting and treatment Ior people \\ ith \e\ual|) tranxmitted tllxethcx. including HIV and AIDS.
Rape Crisis Centre out 552 32()( l. u u u .t‘;ipeci'i\i\\cotland.org.tik Tue Wed tk Sun 7 9pm; 'l'hu l 3pm. l’ree ttlttl L‘tilllltlt'lllltll \L‘l‘\ ICC ollering information and \tlpptil'l to \‘HIIIIL‘II and girl\ \\ ho hax e been or tear the} ma} ha\ e been \euiall) abused or axxatilted.
Edinburgh
GUM Clinic l.tttll‘l\ltin Building. Laurixton Place. 530 2lll3. .\lon l-‘ri Illanr 5pm b} appointment. l"or urgent problem\. there I\ a walk-in clinic
\\ here no appointment i\ necexxar) Irom 8.30 It).()()am. .\lon l-ri. Edinburgh Women’s Rape & Sexual Abuse Centre ()l3l 556 9437. \\ uu.rapecrixixscotlandorg.tik. ('all for opening hourx. See Rape (W‘Ixix Centre. (ilttxgim.
National National AIDS Helpline 0300 567 l23
Sexwise (moo 282 930. 7am-—l2pm.
&
l’ro\ ltlt‘\ inloimation .iiid .ltl\ ice on \t‘\ll.llll} .ind \t‘\ll.ll health loi )otmg [‘L‘iiplt‘
Sources of Advice
National
Crimestoppers «NM 555 I I I (all .it .in_\ time \\llll inloiiiialioii about am crime. (‘.i|l\ .iie tree and cannot be ll'tch‘tl.
Victim Support Line (ix-H 3ii ;it Will. lilllillltlllill \iippoit and piactical ad\ ice loi .iii}one .illected b_\ ciiiiic ltix conlidential. ol couiw
Women’s Health & Support
Glasgow
Glasgow Women's Aid ~llll I-Iooi. ill liL'll Sll’t‘t‘l. 5.53 3)::
‘l3tlam 4.30pm \loii l'll. e\cept \\ed \\lll\'ll l\ ‘l. Wain lpm loi diop m. and al'lei'iioon b} appointment onl_\ [hop in and telephone counxelling loi
Edinburgh
Edinburgh and Lothian Women’s Aid 4 (‘he_\iie Street. 3|5 SI Ill. .\loii. \Ved. l‘i'i Illam 3pm. 'l'hu 2 "pm. Sat Illam l2.3llpm. Reliige. \uppoi't and help I'or \xomen \ullering ph_\\ical. mental or \e\ual abuxe lrom their partner\.
National
Domestic Abuse Helpline (NH) ()27 I234 (24 houri.
Refuge “SUN NHS 999‘). National charit} pro\idmg \ale acctimmodaiion loi" \MIIIIL‘II e\perieiiciiig domextic
\ ltllL‘llCL'.
Just take a drink, eh? Drinking is inherent to this country of ours, but there’s a nasty set of facts and figures that goes along with such a close relationship.
The National Alcohol Plan for Scotland estimates that the overall cost of alcohol problems in Scotland is £1bn.
I One in 10 UK hospital A&E admissions is attributed to alcohol misuse.
I In 2000, 15% of admissions to psychiatric hospitals had an alcohol-related diagnosis.
I Alcohol Concern estimates that 276,213 people were alcohol dependent in Scotland in 2003. This compares with an estimated 55,000 people who were dependent on drugs such as heroin and methadone.
I One in three men and one in six women are drinking over the weekly recommended limit.
I One in five road accident deaths in Scotland is due to drink driving.
I One in 40 deaths in Scotland is alcohol-related. Alcohol- related deaths of women have doubled in the last decade.
“1 flu—Z La“, ZZZ-1 THE LIST 123