Please read this article: http://www.aidsalliance.org/newsdetails.aspx?id=285
“Unfortunately, many people, including the media, the public and even some government officials, both here and abroad, think of AIDS as a disease occurring elsewhere that no longer impacts the U.S. This is a dangerous misconception, and has played a significant role in fueling HIV infection rates in this country.”
HIV/AIDS has disproportionately impacted undeserved and marginalized populations in the U.S. since the epidemic began in 1981. An August 2008 report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that HIV incidence is 40% higher in the U.S. than originally believed, with over 55,000 new cases occurring annually. Alarmingly, communities of color represent 65% of all new HIV infections. These statistics reflect the socio-economic disparities – including limited access to education and high rates of homelessness, malnutrition, incarceration, substance use, incarceration and poverty – that have undermined the overall health and well-being of marginalized populations in this country, particularly communities of color, and have created significant barriers to care.
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