Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Los Angeles Times - Thursday, September 30, 1999
In Los Angeles County, for example, African Americans and Latinos account for 68% of all newly diagnosed AIDS cases. But the proportion of AIDS resources devoted to the education, housing and treatment of these populations in their own neighborhoods has been absurdly low. Blame for this error can be found in many places, from local governments and long-standing AIDS organizations to pharmaceutical companies and the federal government.
As one Washington AIDS spokesman recently put it, "It's like trying to turn around an oil tanker in the middle of the ocean. By the time you're headed back to rescue the person who fell off, they're already dead."
Times reporter Jocelyn Stewart points to the roots of inaction in minority neighborhoods. AIDS hit first among gay white males, and the initial resources went to that community. Such an allocation of resources no longer makes good medical sense or sound public policy.
Even now, with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors declaring an emergency, 11 of the 12 new AIDS housing programs underway are in Hollywood, West Hollywood or downtown, areas with substantial gay populations. There should be a shift to poor, inner-city communities in terms of housing and education programs. The Los Angeles city and county governments can start with that.
Campaigns against AIDS have been sending a mixed message: Billboards show a healthy-looking man "living with" AIDS. That's a factual image, but AIDS is still an extremely painful and expensive disease to live with. And it remains fatal.
This is the time for action. It took far too long to open the Palms, one of the few AIDS housing and treatment facilities in South Los Angeles. Operated by a couple willing to transform their hotel into a haven for AIDS sufferers, the Palms received local financial and political clout and well-placed state and federal funds. It's a success story, one that needs to be repeated many times over.
990930
LT990907
Copyright © 1999 - Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Los Angeles Times, Permissions, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. http://www.latimes.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. 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, 1999. 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. .