It is a well-known fact that change is possible, and with change comes improvement. HIV infected women in America; particularly African American women were given something to rejoice for on May 22, 2013. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the number of HIV infected African American women have decreased for the first time in two decades.
Although the amount of women affected by HIV remained stable throughout 2008 and 2010 it is important to understand why the decrease in infected numbers is momentous for the African American woman. African Americans make up 12% of the population, but they make up more than 40% of the infected HIV population here in America. African American women make up the fourth largest group of infected individuals after White males, African American males, and Latino Males. Did you notice that African American women were the only group of women in the top four infected groups, because I did?
Announcing that the percentage of infected African American women has dropped gives African American women hope. Hope, when given to people with nothing left to believe in may just be the thing that they need to hold on to, to fight for their lives. The percentage drop shows that there is an improvement within this particular group to stop the spread of the disease. “It's probably a little too early to declare victory,” said Donna Hubbard McCree, associate director for Health Equity in the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. “But are we evolving as the epidemic evolves? Are we cautiously optimistic? I'd have to say
Written by Gurwin Sandhu
References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/surveillance/incidence/
The Root
http://www.theroot.com/views/black-women-and-hiv-rates-reprieve
Although the amount of women affected by HIV remained stable throughout 2008 and 2010 it is important to understand why the decrease in infected numbers is momentous for the African American woman. African Americans make up 12% of the population, but they make up more than 40% of the infected HIV population here in America. African American women make up the fourth largest group of infected individuals after White males, African American males, and Latino Males. Did you notice that African American women were the only group of women in the top four infected groups, because I did?
Announcing that the percentage of infected African American women has dropped gives African American women hope. Hope, when given to people with nothing left to believe in may just be the thing that they need to hold on to, to fight for their lives. The percentage drop shows that there is an improvement within this particular group to stop the spread of the disease. “It's probably a little too early to declare victory,” said Donna Hubbard McCree, associate director for Health Equity in the CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. “But are we evolving as the epidemic evolves? Are we cautiously optimistic? I'd have to say
Written by Gurwin Sandhu
References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/surveillance/incidence/
The Root
http://www.theroot.com/views/black-women-and-hiv-rates-reprieve
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