Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
|
|
Washington Blade - July 25, 2003
Joe Crea
Data from 2001 reveals that D.C. diagnosed 678 AIDS cases, or about 119 new cases of AIDS per 100,000 District residents. Officials say a lack of access to health care and lack of knowledge about one's HIV status has resulted in the majority of new AIDS cases.
Floyd Nelson, HAA's director of communications, said that more than 25,000 AIDS cases have now been diagnosed in the District and "Eligible Metropolitan Area," which includes more than 20 counties in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. He estimates that more than 12,000 people have died while more than 13,000 are still living with the disease. Nelson said that 8,108 District residents are living with AIDS.
The new study, authored by Guy Weston, director of the data and research division at HAA, also shows that 80 percent of all new AIDS cases in the District involve African Americans, who make up 61 percent of the city's population. Weston was unavailable for comment.
An AIDS diagnosis is a medical term used to describe the progression of HIV, the AIDS virus, in a person to such a degree that it compromises their immune system, as determined either from the presence of opportunistic infections or a low T-cell count. The percentage of new AIDS cases is, however, indirectly related to the number of new HIV infections in the District and surrounding area, AIDS activists said.
"We each have a responsibility to deal with the AIDS epidemic in a personal way," said Michael Cover, communications director for the Whitman-Walker Clinic. "We need to know our HIV status and then understand our role in HIV prevention. If you are sexually active, you have no excuse. You must know your status. If you are positive, then you need to understand your role in prevention and get the proper health care."
MORE INFO
D.C. HIV/AIDS Administration
717 14th Street, NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
202-727-2500
030725
WB030709
Copyright © 2003 - The Washington Blade. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of The Washington Blade content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of the Blade. The Washington Blade shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The Washington Blade.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation UK, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .