Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1996. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Chicago Tribune (CT) - THURSDAY, February 22, 1996 Edition: SOUTHWEST SPORTS FINAL Section: METRO SOUTHWEST Page: 2 Word Count: 344
Christi Parsons, Tribune Staff Writer
The number of new cases reported in 1995 was 2,186, down from 3,040 the year before, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Dr. John Lumpkin, the department's director, credited education and prevention programs, as well as the development of new drugs that delay the progression to AIDS from the virus that causes the disease.
But Lumpkin warned that it is too soon to tell whether the epidemic has reached its peak and will begin to drop off. He warned educators and advocates not to decrease their AIDS-prevention efforts. "The encouraging news is we know by making informed behavioral choices that this disease can be prevented," Lumpkin said.
"We must continue to remind people that sexual and drug-using behaviors can place them at risk of HIV infection."
The new figures show that the majority of AIDS patients, or 82 percent, are still men. Homosexual men make up 43 percent of those with AIDS, the state said.
But the proportion of women with AIDS rose during the reporting period.
In 1994, women made up 15 percent of the AIDS cases, but that climbed to 18 percent in 1995.
Women made up just 10 percent of the total cases in the state in 1991.
The report also notes that while African-Americans and Hispanics make up only about a quarter of the state's population, they account for 65 percent of the new cases reported in 1995.
Overall, 52 percent of those with AIDS in 1995 were black, compared with 48 percent in 1994.
Lumpkin called this the most disturbing trend indicated by the figures.
Since 1981, there have been 16,375 total reported cases of AIDS in Illinois, the sixth highest total in the United States.
The department said AIDS cases in Chicago dropped by 30 percent but still represented almost 70 percent of the state's total. The number of AIDS cases in the six-county metropolitan area, including the city, declined 31 percent, the agency said.
960222
CT960208
Copyright © 1996 - Chicago Tribune. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Chicago Tribune, Permissions Desk, 435 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611 http://www.chicagotribune.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, the 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 1996. 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, 1996. 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. .