About the H.A.R.M. Group
- What the heck is "The .H.A.R.M. Group"?
It's a group of people dedicated to providing, accessing and utilizing information that pertains to "high-risk" behavior such as intravenous drug use. We call this harm reduction. We also facilitate meetings, forums and workshops on what blood-borne pathogens are and do. - What is "high-risk" behavior?
Any activity that may or will increase the chance of overdose, sero-conversion or death of a person. - What is harm reduction?
Harm reduction is a set of principles and policies that allow people to decrease the harms associated with high risk behavior by giving users "where they're at" the tools for improving their lives through user-based peer support and education. - What are blood-borne pathogens?
Blood-borne pathogens are vectors of disease that transfer from one person to another through the sharing of needles, having unprotected sex or contaminated blood transfusions. - What are vectors of disease?
Vectors of disease are diseases that manifest themselves in the human body to the point where it eventually kills that person. Two of the most dangerous diseases that intravenous drug users will most likely acquire is Hepatitis C and HIV. - What is peer support?
Peer support is a way to give user the ability to access better healthcare by intervening with the user and her/his immediate healthcare provider such as a nurse, counsellor, doctor or advocate. Letting users trained in suicide prevention tips, safer fixing practices and understanding other users' feelings and thoughts work with the user that wants help or a caring ear or just someone to be there. - Who are peer support workers?
Peer support workers are people that have been through all the things that users have gone through and want to pass on things that they have learned and have been given special training in how to approach users "where they're at". - What kind of workshops do we give?
We give workshops on prevention and treatment methods of blood-borne pathogens. How to maintain our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual status by accessing our community programs, activities and creative avenues. Provide safer practices for intravenous drug users by healthcare providers such as street nurses giving vein maintenance workshops. - What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne pathogen that intravenous drug users may acquire if they are not properly informed on how not to get it. Hep C is a virus that attacks the liver. A person that has Hep C will most likely progress to cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is the scarring of the liver to the point where it becomes terminal to that person. - What is HIV?
HIV is another blood-borne pathogen. HIV is currently incurable. Incurable means that the person with HIV will eventually die from that disease. HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system in the human body. When the immune system is damaged too much by the virus the body will not be resistant to "opportunistic diseases" such as pneumonia (PCP), thrush and karposi's sarcoma.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis means a swollen or inflamed liver. Many different things can cause hepatitis like virus', alcohol, medications, chemicals and other diseases and some other things can cause hepatitis. - .What is Hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C (Hep C for short)(HCV) is a disease of the liver caused by a virus called the Hepatitis C virus(HCV). The Hep C virus enters the body through blood-to-blood contact and mainly infects the liver cells. - .What is a virus?
A virus (a small germ) can infect any living thing and cause disease. After a virus gets into your body it invades the cells using these cells to make more viruses like a little factory. Virus' can cause many types of illnesses. A virus causes the common cold, chicken pox, AIDS Hepatitis C and other diseases. There are a lot of viruses and they are not treatable with antibiotics. Though there is treatment that works for some people with Hepatitis C. - .Where did Hepatitis C come from?
No one really knows for sure where Hep C came from but it most likely started during W.W.2 when many soldiers got infected with unclean surgical equipment. - How does Hepatitis C spread?
The Hepatitis C virus hides in infected blood and other bodily fluids. You can catch Hep C if the blood of an infected person gets into your bloodstream. You cannot get Hep C through any other body fluid unless it has blood in it. The most common way of getting Hep C is sharing needles and other equipment ie: spoons, water, and filters for injecting illicit drugs. Sharing tattoo and body piercing equipment ie: needles, caps studs and ink, are another way of getting Hep C. Sharing straws or pipes for snorting or smoking illicit drugs is another way of getting Hep C. You can get Hep C from sex, but this does not occur very often. Some mothers give their baby the virus through pregnancy or the birthing process however that is rare also. 85% of most people with Hep C will have it for the rest of their life. If not treated Hep C can lead to liver cancer or/and cirrhosis. There is no vaccine to prevent Hep C. - Is there a cure for Hepatitis C?
No there is no cure for Hep C. Treatment works very well for some people and they are able to clear the virus from their blood. This can last for years. We're not sure it can last forever. - How are Hep C and HIV different?
Hep C and HIV/AIDS are two different diseases caused by two different diseases. 1. The Hepatitis C (HCV) virus 2. The Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) These virus attack different parts of the body. 1. The HCV virus attacks th4e liver 2. The HIV virus mainly attacks the immune system The liver is our body's blood regulator, filter, blood cell manufacturer and thousands of other function. The immune system is our main defense system for seeking out and destroying foreign objects in our blood. Hep C is spread mainly through exposure to infected blood. Other bodily fluids cannot spread it unless there is blood in it. HIV is spread mainly through infected blood and other bodily fluids such as semen (cum), vaginal fluids (Women's' wetness and mothers' milk. Living with Hepatitis C. Finding out you have Hep C can be very hard and you may feel scared, confused and alone or depressed. You may feel nothing everyone is different. It is a good idea to talk about your feelings to a professional or someone that cares for you and your well-being. Talking with others with Hep C can help too. It is important to know that you are not alone. - Who should you tell?
It is important to tell people who may come in contact with your blood this includes people like your sex partner(s), needle sharing partners, dentists, doctors and nurses. When the time is right you may want to tell family and friends that you trust. They cannot help you cope if they do not know. - How do you protect your family and friends?
Hep C is spread when infected blood gets into someone else's blood stream. Hep C is not spread through other bodily fluids unless there is blood in it. Most kinds of household contact is safe. You can touch, hug or kiss a family member or friend. You can shake their hand, share food or drinks or use the same washroom and shower. Hep C is not spread through sneezing, coughing, diapers, animals, insects and other things. The number 1 rule for protecting your family members and friends is to be careful about blood-this includes menstrual blood. You should never share tools for shooting drugs, tattooing, piercing share straws or crack pipes or equipment for snorting or smoking drugs. Do not share bathroom toiletries such a razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, tweezers or scissors. Keep toiletries that you use out of the reach of children. Blood items should not be left out in the open in case of accidental poking. Everyone should know the proper disposal and storage of equipment that has been in contact with infected blood products. You ought to wear gloves, use full strength bleach and detergents and use safety equipment where applicable.
H.A.R.M. Group Minutes for June 4,2004
- Group discussion of what this group should focus on. Suggested that this group not be limited to hep-c positive and HIV positive people, but should also be for educating healthy people on avoidance of contracting such diseases.
- Group discussion on title/name for this learning group. Motion to call it H.A.R.M. group, an acronym for Harm Awareness and Reduction Meeting. Motion seconded, voted on, and unanimously passed.
- Website meeting discussed and explained to the group. An open invitation to all attendees to join website group and participate in H.A.R.M. webpage on VANDU website.
- HYATT hepatitis conference review scheduled for next H.A.R.M. meeting. Meeting scheduled for Mondays @ 11:00 A.M. starting June 14,2004.
- Group discussion regarding H.A.R.M. to also have a goal of teaching facilitation of meetings. Group decided to limit membership weekly to 48 participants, allowing one learning facilitator to work for two consecutive meetings. Learning facilitator position to rotate via volunteer basis, while run by Ron M. as constant facilitator of group.
- Moment of silence.
Roll Call - Ron M. { facilitator }
Minutes - Fern C { minutes keeper }
Meeting called to order @ 11:00 A.M.EF
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