The World Contemplates the State of AIDS

December 1st was world AIDS Day. 

Over 37,000 people in the US are newly diagnosed with HIV each year.  37 million people world wide are living with HIV or AIDS.  The opiod crisis has increased the number of new transmissions.  Women in abusive relationships are at increased risk for HIV.  Yet many perceive the problem as no longer a crisis in the US because of the effectiveness of treatment (Art).  But not everyone has access to treatment.  Transportation issues remain a huge barrier to treatment, particularly in rural areas.  The gutting of the affordable care act  exacerbates the problem.  A high percentage of men who have sex with men die from HIV/AIDS.

Those living with HIV experience workplace and housing discrimination, typically following the disclosure of private medical information. 

And criminally, those living with HIV are at risk for prosecution if they have sex without disclosing their medical condition to the partner, despite the fact that taking ART as prescribed virtually eliminates any risk of transmission.  Arrests and prosecutions under these criminal disclosure statues are disproportionately against people of color. 

While the public impression is that HIV and AIDS is no longer a critical problem, those living with HIV and AIDS tell very different stories.  For additional information on living with HIV here are just a few sources of information:  Positive Women's Network; Center for Disease Control;   and AIDS United.