National Women’s and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day: Where Do We Stand?

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Written by LSSNCA

Womens_HIV_Awareness“Education is spreading hope. Millions are now learning to live with HIV/AIDS; instead of waiting to die from it.” Laura Welch Bush

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, roughly 2.7% of those living in Washington, DC have been diagnosed with HIV. This is higher than any state in the US and is more than double the UNAIDS definition of an epidemic. Since today is National Women’s and Girls’ HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we thought we’d share some good news and bad news about the disease in the US and Washington Region.

First, the Bad News:

  • There were 47,500 new infections from HIV in 2010
  • 1 out of 5 new cases were women
  • At least 4 out of 5 new HIV diagnoses in women were African American
  • 88% of children diagnosed with HIV acquired it from Mother-to-Child transmission
  • More than 1 out of every 100 women living in Washington, DC have been diagnosed with HIV (more than 8 times the national average)
  • There were 4 times as many African American women in DC with HIV than Latinas and 24 times as many Caucasian women
  • 8 out of the 9 wards in DC have more than 1% of adults and adolescents living with HIV

But, there is Good News:

  • Year after year, new diagnoses for HIV and AIDS continue to decline
  • Nationally, women saw a 21% decrease in new infections between 2008 and 2010
  • In the District, new HIV diagnoses in 2010 were 835; a 24% decrease from 2006
  • Mother-to-Child HIV transmission rates in 2010 have decreased by 90% since the mid 1990’s
  • In 2010, there were no children born with HIV in Washington, DC and this trend continues

Thankfully, the situation continues to improve in the battle against HIV/AIDS, but many children and adolescents in the DC Area are forced to live with this disease and its stigma. Through LSS/NCA Youth Haven Camps, many of these youth find comfort and learn to live long, happy lives while affected with HIV/AIDS. Click here to learn more about LSS/NCA and find out how you can help youth living with HIV/AIDS in our Nation’s Capital.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV Among Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV/AIDS Incidence

Kaiser Family Foundation: The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Washington, D.C.

Kaiser Family Foundation: Women and HIV/AIDS in the United States

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