Tag Archives: The Borum

The Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center, affectionately known as the Borum, is a program of Fenway Health that provides safe, non-judgmental care for young people ages 12–29 who may not feel comfortable going anywhere else. No one is turned away from care at the Borum.

The Borum is affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as an important component of Community Care Alliance, and with Boston Children’s Hospital. It is licensed as a health center, mental health clinic, and substance abuse center by the Department of Public Health.

Young, HIV-Postive MSM: Cover Your Butt Against HPV

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Cover Your Butt with Gardasil

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that gay and bisexual men (men who have sex with other men) are about 17 times more likely to develop anal cancer than men who only have sex with women. HIV-positive males who have sex with males are at increased risk of developing anal cancer and/or genital warts compared to the general population. However, those who receive the Gardasil vaccine could be protected.

The Gardasil vaccine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in HIV-negative young men and women to prevent transmission of the human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that can lead to genital warts or cervical and anal cancer. And in October 2011, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to recommend HPV vaccinations for boys and men ages 11 to 21.

Scientists and doctors have reason to believe that Gardasil will have the same levels of protection among those who are HIV-positive, but research is limited at this time.

Join the Gardasil Study

If you are interested in participating in this study or would like more information, please contact Emily George at 617.927.6246. Participants will be compensated for their time.

To increase the amount of knowledge surrounding the protective effects of Gardasil, Fenway has opened a new research study which is providing the Gardasil vaccine to HIV-infected males who have sex with males and are between the ages of 12 and 26 years old.  During the course of the study, participants will receive a great picture of their overall health through regular lab draws, anal pap smears, STI testing and counseling, and receipt of the Gardasil vaccine—all of which are normally recommended by doctors for young people.

This study is open to those who meet the eligibility criteria:

  • MSM
  • 12-26 years old
  • HIV-positive
  • Have never received the Gardasil vaccine

And regardless of eligibility, if you’re a Boston-area young person and would like to know more about getting vaccinated against HPV, providers at the Borum are happy to answer your questions. If you’d like to get tested for HPV and other sexually transmitted infections, call Fenway Health at 617.267.0159 to discuss your options with a counselor or visit this website for help finding a testing site close to you. 

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Women’s Health Team increases patient access to contraception

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PHOTO: Flickr.com/spentpenny

2011 was full of ups and downs for women’s health—contraception in particular.

Last year, we saw the Affordable Care Act ensure insurance coverage for vital preventive care for women, including contraception, without charge. We also saw intense political objection to this and other women’s health issues (Planned Parenthood, anyone?) which promise to lead to Supreme Court hearings that will be intensely followed by the Fenway Women’s Health Team.

We hope that 2012 will bring huge victories in women’s health. To get things started here at home, Fenway is kicking the year off with increased access to contraception for our patients. Tomorrow, January 19, we will launch a new Contraception Counseling Program designed to educate our patients more comprehensively about contraception options and get them the option they choose more quickly.

Through this brand new program, we are able to offer 60 minute appointments to anyone who has questions about contraception. Maybe you’ve been thinking about starting to use contraception regularly, but you’re unsure of your options. Perhaps you have been using one option that you’re just not happy with and want to switch. Or maybe you need emergency contraception to reduce the chance of an unplanned pregnancy. We can even help if you think you may be pregnant and want to know for sure.

During a Contraception Counseling Program appointment, you’ll meet with one of our Contraception Counselors who can answer any questions that you may have. If necessary, you may also meet with our Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, Erin Gately. Depending on the contraception option that you choose, you may be able to leave your appointment with contraception in hand (so to speak).

The best part of all this is that in February our location at 1340 Boylston will join the Borum in being able to offer free or reduced cost contraception services to patients who qualify. This means that if you are uninsured, underinsured, or worried about confidentiality on your insurance statements, we may be able to get you the contraception that you need at no cost to you.

If you’d like to make an appointment with our Contraception Counseling Program, call 617.927.6001.

Here’s to a new year filled with increased access to women’s health services! 

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Stand Up for LGBT Youth

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Fenway Health is going purple for Spirit Day 2011

In honor of Spirit Day, I’d like to share the It Gets Better video made by Fenway Staff.


Started in 2010 by teenager Brittany McMillan and promoted heavily by GLAAD, Spirit Day encourages everyone to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth—who are often singled out for bullying—by wearing purple and by turning their Twitter and Facebook pages purple.

86.2% of LGBT students experience abuse or harassment at school, which can lead to depression, substance abuse, and other health disparities. 40% of homeless youth identify as gay or transgender. Drug and alcohol use is 400% higher among lesbian teens than their straight peers. From 2003–2006, 54% of all cases of HIV infection or AIDS among young people aged 13–24 were from male-to-male sexual contact. For more facts about anti-LGBT bullying visit stopbullying.gov.

It’s vitally important that we work together to create an environment where LGBT youth feel understood, accepted, and safe. So please join Fenway and others in going purple in support of LGBT youth.

And to learn more about the LGBT-friendly services Fenway offers to youth, please visit the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center’s website. 

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