Report warns of AIDS ‘crisis’ across South: half of all deaths

[sinkingfeeling]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25819585/

The report, an update to a landmark 2002 report that identified the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS in the South, was based on data compiled by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health departments and academic researchers. It defined the region as Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Among the findings:

Although the covered area is home to only 36 percent of the nation’s population, half of all U.S. AIDS deaths in 2005 were in the South, and more than half of all Americans with HIV lived in the region in 2006.

Nine of the 15 states with the highest HIV diagnosis rates are in the South.

More than 40 percent of all new infections are in the South.

Of the 20 metropolitan areas with the highest rates of AIDS cases in 2006, 16 were in the South.

“African-American women are 83 percent of all cases that we can document,” said Bambi Gaddist, executive director of the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council and a member of the AIDS Coalition board of directors. “And the new epidemic is young people. They’re between 22 and 24.”


Pretty sad considering we're supposed to be the 'wealthiest country' on earth, yet we can't educate and treat our sick.

[hatrack]

1. No, no NO!! That would mean talking about S-E-X, and that would be WRONG!!

It's like we're on the express train to the freaking Dark Ages in this country.

[indepat]

2. That mighty wealth is highly concentrated, very little trickles down, and

it is subjected to probably the lowest taxation in the industrialized world for we live in a 'puke world. :P

[trof]

5. And abstinence only make the heart grow fonder.

Sorry.
Bad joke.
:-(

[napi21]

3. Hmmmm...couldn't have anything to do with teaching abstienece ONLY

now could it? After all, all the States mentioned have a whole lot of fervent Bushies!!!!

[hvn_nbr_2]

4. "can't educate" or "won't educate"?

yet we can't educate and treat our sick

[sinkingfeeling]

6. I said 'can't' because of the various school board and NCLB mandates.