Legislatively Speaking
By Senator, Lena C. Taylor
State Senator Lena C. Taylor
World AIDS Day is held on December 1st each year.
It is a call to action for people all over the globe to learn the facts about HIV/ AIDS, get tested, and seek treatment.
It is a special day set aside for family, friends, and the medical community to remember people who have died and show compassion for those who are living with HIV/AIDS.
Also on this day, medical and scientific leaders across the world share best practices, and come together to help spread awareness about prevention.
The CDC estimates that 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV. Of those people living with HIV, it estimated that 1 in 7 are not aware that they are infected.
Approximately 50,000 people become newly infected each year.
Recent data on HIV diagnosis shows that HIV touches every corner of the United States.
However the number of newly diagnosed HIV patients in the Midwest actually increased from 2008 – 2012.
HIV is a disease that affects people of all ages, nationalities, cultures, backgrounds, genders, regardless of sexuality.
Unfortunately, when we review the number of African Americans diagnosed in the United States the estimates are devastating.
African Americans only account for 11% of the United States population yet accounted for 46% of all new cases in 2011.
An estimated 1 in 16 African American men and 1 of 32 African American women will be diagnosed with HIV during their lifetime.
Contributing factor in the high number of African Americans affected by HIV/ AIDS has to do with social economic issues.
The poverty rate is higher among African Americans than other racial/ethnic groups.
Therefore, limited access to comprehensive quality healthcare, stable housing, and HIV/AIDS prevention programs is directly linked to the high number of African Americans who are exposed to this devastating disease.
Reflecting national trends, young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be the population most affected by HIV in Wisconsin.
Diagnoses in young Black MSM nearly tripled from 2004 to 2013. Stigma, fear, discrimination, homophobia and negative perceptions about HIV testing are often obstacles to fighting this dreadful disease within our community.
We must fight to erase the stigma and ignorance about HIV/AIDS.
We must work to educate our community about healthy sexual practices and ensure that people have supportive networks.
As a community we have to create safe environments for people to talk about this devastating disease so that we can be better prepared to find a cure and prevent it from spreading.
In addition, support the local HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns within our community.
For more information on HIV and AIDS please access the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (http://cdc.gov).