Issue: AIDs and Social Inequality

The AIDS epidemic has been misunderstood by people all over America; they often feel as though they know a substantial amount about the virus. But, the statistics paint a vivid picture that points in another direction. The rate at which AIDS is growing conveys how irrational these people are...those who think they know.

Please read below to gain key knowledge about AIDS and, in particular, the relationship between AIDS and social inequality in America. You can learn more about us and our work engaging in social action against AIDS in urban America by clicking on the links above, or on the menu to the left.

AIDS does not affect everyone in America equally.

AIDS is mainly affecting those in the urban neighborhoods with less knowledge of the disease, fewer resources to prevent it, and no way to afford treatments when they contract it. These people tend to be from the working class; they are mostly non-white.

People compare AIDS to other deadly events like the flu pandemic in 1918 that killed 20 million people worldwide or World War II which killed 40 million people. AIDS? impact seems to be increasing as time moves on.

A lot can be done to reduce AIDS cases in America. Therefore it is vital that we teach those who are primary affected?namely, urban youth of color.

Crucial Questions about AIDS and Social Inequality

How many people of color get HIV each day?
In America, every day 100 people of color get infected with HIV (African American Registry, 2005)

How many people get HIV each hour?
Every hour seven new people contract HIV. At least four out of the seven that are infected are people of color (HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Minority Community, 2006).

How many people have died from this virus?
All together the virus has killed 28 million people since the first diagnosis and 3.8 million people in the year 2005 alone.
The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 500,000 Americans with AIDS have already died and that almost 1 million more are currently living with HIV.

How does AIDS affect women, and particularly women of color?
In 2002, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for African American women between the ages 25 to 34 and was among the four leading causes of death among women between the ages 20 to 24.

What are the differences in contraction rates between white people and black people?
In 2003, 28% of AIDS patients were white. 69% are Black.
This means that black people are twice as likely to contract the disease as white people. Blacks are about 56% of all new HIV infections but only make up 13% of the population of America. (HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Minority Community, 2006).

Bibliography:

United States HIV and AIDS Statistics by Year. 05 Nov 2004. . 11 Feb 2006.

The World Factbook. "United States". 01 Nov 2005. 11 Feb 2006.

HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Minority Community. 05 Jan 2006. 12 Feb 2006.

African American Registry. HIV/AIDS and Black America!. 19 Dec.2005
. 10 Feb 2006

HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Key Trends and Current Cases . 12 Feb 2006.

How AIDS Works. 01 Dec 2004. . 11 Feb 2006