Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Associated Press - Thursday, December 23, 1993
"There is a group out there that isn't being reached," said Dr. William Mosher of the National Center for Health Statistics. "More needs to be done either to get the HIV prevention message to them or to find ways that they can act on it."
HIV, the AIDS virus, still is most prevalent among men but is spreading four times as quickly among women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 339,250 Americans had contracted AIDS by October, with 40,702 cases among women.
The government released more proof this week that young people are particularly at risk. A Public Health Service study found that one-third of people ages 21 to 40 in four cities -- Chicago, Birmingham, Ala., Minneapolis and Oakland -- had been found to have at least one sexually transmitted disease, indicating possible exposure to HIV. Those younger than 25 and women were most at risk.
About 20 million U.S. women have been tested for the AIDS virus, according to one of the studies released yesterday.
Mosher and fellow statistician Jacqueline Wilson used a 1990 survey of 5,686 women to estimate the AIDS-related sexual behavior of the nation's 58 million women ages 15 to 44.
Unmarried women ages 20 to 29 -- considered most at risk -- are most likely to seek testing, Wilson said. And almost half of unmarried women diagnosed with another sexually transmitted disease seek an HIV test, she said.
Mosher found that 22 percent of women report that their partner uses a condom during intercourse, a number consistent with other studies. But he wanted to see how many used a condom properly every time they have intercourse. Only 10 percent do, he found.
Mosher said consistent condom use dropped to only 4 percent of unmarried women who never finished high school, compared with 21 percent of college-educated unmarried women.
Copyright © 1993 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
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, National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1993. 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, 1993. 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. .