UNITED STATES: With Highest Rate of Cases, Navy Sees HIV Infections Rise

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

UNITED STATES: With Highest Rate of Cases, Navy Sees HIV Infections Rise

Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk) (11.02.09) - Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Kate Wiltrout

Last year, the Navy, whose HIV rate was already higher than that of any other branch of the US military, made 36 HIV diagnoses per 100,000 sailors tested. This was more than double the Navy's 1999 rate. Officials are not sure why the figure has risen, but they do know that most infected sailors acquired HIV through unprotected sex, not IV drug use.

Mirroring the general population, military personnel are no longer as frightened of HIV as they were during the epidemic's early years, said Dr. Rick Shaffer, who heads the Department of Defense's HIV/AIDS program in San Diego. Whether less fearful of infection or more optimistic HIV can be controlled, people may also be less willing to use condoms, he said.

Across the military, the rate of condom use is about 50 percent, according to Pentagon figures. In 2005, a survey found just under half of sexually active, unmarried sailors used a condom with their last partner. Among unmarried officers, condom use had declined from 40 percent in 2002 to 30 percent in 2005. Navy women reported a slight decrease in condom use in the same period.

Alcohol use is being studied for its connection with HIV infections in the military. Service members who are "sort of drunk" are especially worrisome, because they tend to lose inhibitions about risk, whereas the "overly drunk" have more limited sexual function, Shaffer said.

While the Navy does not keep data on its HIV-associated costs, it has cited a study's estimate that a year of treatment costs $14,000-$37,000. With about 560 sailors in HIV care last year, the Navy's cost would be $7.8 million-$20.7 million.
091104
AD091892

Copyright © 2009 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation, 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 2009. 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, 2009. 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.