Aids Info: Aids Awareness

[dyingofcolour 0]

In The U.SMore than half a million people diagnosed with AIDS have died in the USA. Nearly three-quarters of these people did not live to the age of 45.

 

In 2003, the age group 35-44 years accounted for an estimated 35% of HIV diagnoses, 41% of AIDS diagnoses, and 39% of deaths of people diagnosed with AIDS.

 

The estimated number of children diagnosed with AIDS in 2003 was unusually low, while AIDS diagnoses in older people increased in number. There are now fewer deaths among those aged under 45 years, but more among older people.

 

When comparing HIV and AIDS statistics, it is important to remember that a person infected with HIV will probably not develop AIDS for several years - the average delay in the USA is around ten years without treatment, and longer if ARV drugs are taken. Additionally, new diagnoses of HIV do not necessarily represent new infections, since people may live with the virus for a number of years before being tested.

 

In The World

 

More than 20 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.

 

Africa has 12 million AIDS orphans.

 

By December 2004 women accounted for 47% of all people living with HIV worldwide, and for 57% in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Young people (15-24 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide - more than 6,000 become infected with HIV every day.

 

Of the 6.5 million people in developing and transitional countries who need life-saving AIDS drugs, fewer than 1 million are receiving them.

Edited November 7, 2005 by microscopic^earthling (see edit history)

[twitch 0]

Interesting artifact, however, if you lived in the UK, you would have most certainly been taught all of these figures. It has also to come to affect, that more people die of another STI than AIDs, however, at the moment, I can not think for the life of me, what it is called.

[Sarah81 0]

We just need to find a cure. I don't know if we'll actually see that anytime soon ... but I would love to still be alive when the last AIDS patient is treated.I know, I know - that's insanely optimistic, but I have to hold out a little of that good old hope about a *few* things in life. *smiles*

[evion 0]

In Singapore, a UK influenced country, HIVs and other sexually or physically contacted diseases is almost never taught at all till i guess when you're older than i was, which was 14. When i was 12 though, i moved to the U.S. for a year and Health class were like 75% lectures about HIVs and such and why we teenagers not be so reckless. I believe the numbers of teen abuse has started to deriorate now that campaigns are held everywhere to stop this madness and by working together, this disease might even become "extinct" when the last person dies along with it. (Alright I'm not sadistic here but its practically true right?) I don't see why people with the disease have to "help" their enemy at all each and everyone of them can do a part in keeping the disease to themselves. I had many HIV-infected friends and a few had AIDS but they never seem to have any social problems at all and their just like any other normal kid. The people spreading these diseases are just so pessimistic, poisoning us all into our deaths.

[Logan Deathbringer 0]

I don't see why people with the disease have to "help" their enemy at all each and everyone of them can do a part in keeping the disease to themselves. I had many HIV-infected friends and a few had AIDS but they never seem to have any social problems at all and their just like any other normal kid. The people spreading these diseases are just so pessimistic, poisoning us all into our deaths.

I would agree to that, but on the other side, it would be pretty hard to be optimistic when you do become infected. How would it feel to be a walking time bomb? I am pretty sure I wouldn't feel too great either if I was put in that situation *although I wouldn't go around infecting everyone*. I guess some people become very negative and it is hard for the to accept it (especially when they have contracted the virus by accident).

HIV in a biological sense is a very sucessful virus in nature. It stays inside the host for as long as possible without killing it, therefore allowing the host to spread the disease to as many individuals as possible even without the host knowing it *until late symptoms surfaces*. I believe most of the HIV carriers aren't even aware of the fact that they are spreading the disease, and this is due to the fact that the virus is fairly difficult to detect other than a blood test. Honestly speaking, who is going to have their blood tested on a regular basis?

I have to admit, as I'm one of the people who fall ill easily, I've been hospitalized twice in the last four years (for about a week). Other than those visits to the hospital, I didn't have my blood checked on a regular basis. So, who is going to deliberatly going to have their blood screened after having sex with a different partner? I know I wouldn't. The point is, a lot of HIV carriers don't know that they are the ones spreading the disease, until they fall ill from it (which is pretty late).

Think of the bright side, death is a natural side effect of life. And if it wasn't for diseases like Cancer and Aids, the world would have long been over-populated and we would be facing different and more difficult problems instead.