I’d like to give a shout-out to CNN for their piece today on the continued rise of HIV among the African-American community, as the news organization draws attention to some extremely upsetting statistics that prove that safe sex is still a life-saver, and something that needs to be discussed publicly and at a high volume. As part of an exploration of the black American experience, CNN has highlighted an all too crucial need to address the prevalence of HIV among the population, with the shocking headline: Report: Black U.S. AIDS rates rival some African nations. The article focuses on a report by the Black AIDS Institute (using statistics from UNAIDS, the CDC, and Census data) and includes the following:
“AIDS remains the leading cause of death among black women between ages 25 and 34. It’s the second-leading cause of death in black men 35-44.”
“According to this report, if black Americans made up their own country, it would rank above Ethiopia (420,000 to 1,300,000) and below Ivory Coast (750,000) in HIV population. Both Ethiopia and the Ivory Coast are among the 15 nations receiving funds from the President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief. The United States has given about $15 billion to PEPFAR nations in the past five years.”
“Five percent of the entire population (in DC) is infected… that’s comparable to countries like Uganda or South Africa.”
Sit up and take notice. The AIDS crisis is not limited to far-flung shores, and it is certainly not limited to the original “H” factor lifestyles (Heroin, Haiti, Homosexuals) that stemmed the panic among middle-class white America back in the ’80s. Our attention and efforts are needed as desperately as ever.
(Image found at The Super Spade).
July 30, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Staggering.
July 30, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Wow, I just love it sometimes, not in this instance, but in others where the US gives funding for programs to countries that hate us. But hey, Leave it to some chuckle heads like Rev. Wright to blame the US government for releasing AIDS into the wild. Good post!
July 30, 2008 at 2:42 pm
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH? That is shocking. Really. I had no idea whatsoever.
Now, I do wonder what the cause of this is. Last year there was a big to-do over here about AIDS running rampant in the Dutch black community as well. I don’t think it’s 5% of the black population or the number one killer of a demographic, but it was definitely on the rise more in the black community.
It’s one of those things I just don’t know enough about.
July 30, 2008 at 2:43 pm
God, I knew it was bad but I didn’t know it was that bad.
Remember when Gwen Eiffel asked the 2004 VP candidates about AIDS being the leading cause of death for black women and both of them were like “huh?” Even Dick Cheney had to admit he had no idea.
If this disease was killing white women at that rate, you know it would be the top story on every newscast. Sad.
July 30, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Yeah, I think they meant to shock and I think it was necessary. What a wake-up call.
July 30, 2008 at 2:51 pm
@BeckySharper: Sadly, you’re exactly right.
You know what all the safe sex stories have taught me? America needs to be scared again. I know that doesn’t sound right, but for some reason, we’ve gotten so cocky and capricious, like AIDS and other diseases don’t happen anymore and won’t happen to us. Maybe the medicine has gotten better, and people survive longer and live better lives with the disease, but it’s still out there and it still kills.
Once again, I’m so glad you guys are doing all this because we really need to be reminded to be careful.
July 30, 2008 at 2:52 pm
This is shocking. I knew it was a big deal, but I had no idea it was THIS BIG a deal.
July 30, 2008 at 2:55 pm
@DorothyZ: Yes, instead of fright films at 9 about shark attacks and kidnapping and other sensationalist UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN TO 99.9999999…% of the population things, maybe we should be talking about real danger and tragedy and how it can be prevented.
July 30, 2008 at 3:00 pm
@dorothyZbornak. Oh, but Tracie says that pulling out is totes safe!
(nyah, nyah, can’t ban me here!)
July 30, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Jesus. And as Sin pointed out the PEPFAR aids relief is predicated on NOT including condoms. BLARG. Condoms for NONE, miniature american flags for others! Thanks for the heads up, feather. I’m gonna go do some research on Canadian stats, too.
July 30, 2008 at 3:06 pm
DC has started advertising about free AIDS meds on the radio and on buses. At least 3 times a year, the local radio stations have a “Know your Status, Get Tested for Free” day.
Growing up, one of my friends died from AIDS. Her father was a philanderer and had infected her mother, who probably passed it on to her at birth.
Her name was Joelle. She lived with her Aunt Monique who was a nurse. Her Aunt was always at work, so we (neighborhiid kids) always stayed and played with her so that she wouldn’t be alone.
When she started getting sick, her Aunt pulled her out of school and kind of kept her hidden from us.
When her Aunt Monique realized that she was approaching her final days, she moved Joelle to another Aunt’s house, so that she could be with her cousins and have people to tend, care, and play with her.
She died at the age of 11.
When Joelle died, we were initially told that it was pneumonia and all the mother’s wanted to know if anyone had been in contact with her blood ( cuts, sores, shared a needle, scissors,…)
My mother eventually told me that Joelle had passed away from AIDS.
July 30, 2008 at 3:13 pm
This is astonishing and I am at a loss for words, but I’m so glad Sin’s post was made earlier as it truly swings this administration’s effect on the country into focus.
People everywhere are dying as a direct result of Bush’s policies and actions, and it’s almost as if this war has been just a huge distraction to keep the folks back home from noticing how the way we live has been unraveling steadily for years.
July 30, 2008 at 3:17 pm
@Amoureuse: Jesus Christ. That’s unspeakably tragic. At age 11, I was a year away from writing a paper and giving a presentation on STDs, AIDS & and the Ryan White story to my 7th grade class.
July 30, 2008 at 3:22 pm
@Amoureuse: I am so sorry for her, for you, for her family, for everyone. What a loss. I’m glad it’s something to be talked about – this is, as SBJ said, a tragedy and it should not be swept under the carpet. It’s a terrible reality that should be addressed.
July 30, 2008 at 3:27 pm
@Amoureuse: my heart just broke a little for a little girl i never knew.
July 30, 2008 at 3:31 pm
When people start putting names and faces to the disease, maybe it’ll be taken more seriously.
She was an innocent child and paid with her life because:
a)her father couldn’t keep his pants on or wrap it up
b)was probably diagnosed too late
c)didn’t have access to appropriate care & treatment.
July 30, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Amoureuse, that’s so incredibly sad.
I remember the day when there were Lifetime movies made about children or teachers with HIV and what the diagnosis and ‘coming out’ did to their lives. They might’ve been sappy and horribly produced, but at least there was something ‘real’ out there.
I just sent an email to Dodai about this report, asking if she’ll perhaps write a piece about it. From some offhand comments she’s made she seems to be the person who cares most about the sexual health issue. We’ll see if anything happens.
July 30, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Wow, that was quick.
From Dodai: “hi thanks for this. i may not get to it today but i’ll try for tomorrow.”
Hurrah!
July 30, 2008 at 4:02 pm
@Amoureuse:That’s just incredibly sad. And you’re right, when people can put a face to the statistics, maybe it will finally hit home. But it’s sad it has to go that far.
July 30, 2008 at 4:05 pm
i love the tagline of the blog! i just noticed it. even if it’s only for the week, me love.
July 30, 2008 at 5:36 pm
No big surprise to anyone who was around the epidemic at the beginning. But it’s heartbreaking to see how 8 years of Bushism has led to this. I live overseas -though I do read the US press daily – and the information we get here on AIDS is much more thorough than what the mainstream media in the US gives (at least in Spain). And don’t think it’s just a problem of young people. I’m in my 50’s and I can’t believe the nonsense that some people my age believe. Some seem to think that the epidemic is “controlled” because of the new drug cocktail. Guess what guys? this is going to be with us for a long time. Let’s be realistic, and use common sense.
Applause to you all here at BCP. You deserve at least a Webby or more.Good journalism.
July 30, 2008 at 7:40 pm
@Sarah: I don’t know if this is accurate, because it came from my brain, but I heard somewhere that, because condoms are SO effective at presenting the spread of HIV/AIDS, it could easily be wiped off the face of the planet in a few generations if, oh, say, everyone WORE A FUCKING CONDOM.
But they don’t, and it’s becoming a bigger problem than ever.
(I also think that thought was linked to something about how rampant homophobia within the medical/epidemiology community back when they first discovered HIV/AIDS led to its spread, when it could easily have been contained way back then. But I could be making this up.)
July 30, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Once upon a time, in the early 1990’s we DID have honest, direct and aggressive communication about HIV/AIDS. Among those of us who worked in the clinics, we very plainly told the at-risk clients and those seeking testing that the disease was a death sentence. But then along came big pharma and the fear eased back a notch or so, but it was still taken seriously. But the phrase “death sentence” increasingly fell out of favor as to “shocking” and “disheartening”. Fuck that! I still used it when I could get buy with it and so did others that remembered those early years. Then along came Shrub & Co. and everything REALLY went to hell in a handbasket. This country will reap the death and tragedy planted by this adminstration for decades to come.