Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awarness & Information Day - March 10, 2006

HIV and AIDS is a world wide problem. However, these statistics are for North America.

In the last ten years, an estimated 40,000 people are infected with HIV each year in the United States. But now the epidemic is disproportionately spreading among African Americans and women. In 2003, African Americans accounted for at least 25 percent of all AIDS cases, even though they represent only 12% of the population. Especially affected are African American women, who account for up to 72% of new HIV cases in all U.S. women. AIDS ranks among the top three causes of death for African American men aged 25-54 and for African American women aged 35-44 years. AIDS-related deaths fell steeply until the late 1990s and then continued to decline more gradually each year, with about 16,371 deaths in 2002. But the number of deaths among African Americans was over twice as high as that among whites in 2002. Women in the U.S. are contracting HIV mostly through sexual contact with men. The second most common way is through injection drug use. HIV- related death also has a great impact on young and middle-aged adults, especially youth of color.

In Canada, at the end of 2002, there were 56,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, with as many as one-third of them unaware of their HIV status. Most new HIV infections in Canada were due to unsafe sex between men and injecting drug use. There has been an increase in infections due to unsafe heterosexual intercourse.

What can you do to protect yourself?

1. Get Educated! The article I wrote about this last year is still current. Older Women and HIV
2. Find your resources - that same article lists some resources for you.
3. If you have HIV/AIDS - get treatment! With proper care, it is not the death sentence it was years ago.
4. Have respect for yourself and others - if you are infected, use protection and if you are not infected...use protection.

It is the responsibility of each person to educate the next on how to protect ourselves, our partners, our families and our communities. Please do your part.

Barbara