Hiv / Aids Among Youth

​African-Americans are the ethnic group most affected by HIV/AIDS. Ironically african-americans represent 14% of the population of the United States , but represent 44% across the gender line. African-american men represent 70% of HIV infections among the ethnic group, however african-american women are also highly at risk of HIV infection. Indeed they have a rate of infection that is 15 times greater than the rate for caucasion women (HIV among African-Americans, 2012). Most African-american women (85%) are infected with HIV through heterosexual sex, often with partners, who claim to be

The prevalence of HIV in the African American community is unmatched by any other population. African Americans accounted for 49% of all HIV related deaths in 2010 (CDC, 2014). In my specialty area of family practice, I have encountered only one non-minority patient with HIV; all others have been African-American. This population needs to be of high consideration for disease education. African Americans are typically unaware of resources available to prevent the transmission of this disease, as well as testing available to them in their communities. African American children, especially, are at greater risk for HIV due to lack of knowledge and earlier age of engaging in sexual intercourse. They are typically unaware that their behavior can yield such a negative outcome (CDC, 2012). Many urban schools lack proper funding to accommodate a sexual education curriculum. It is of increased importance to raise awareness, educate and provide a plan of care for the African American teenage and adult population, as the incidence of this disease rises daily.

Poverty is not just about income, but it is about the health of people, their feelings, relationships and the environment, and society (Sutherland, 2013). According to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) (2016), the highest poverty rate is among African Americans, which make up 27.4 percent. In addition, children under the age of 18, which is about 21 percent of about 15.3 million, live in poverty. The concern related to this population is the chances of adolescent getting HIV. According to McKay, Alicea, Elwyn, McClain, Parker, Small, and Mellins (2014), 50 percent of adolescents and young adults are infected with HIV each year. In addition, due to the fact that some adolescent

That is doubling the Florida average of 37.8. Males represented the majority of cases at 74.3 %compared to female at 25.7 % (Health Council of South Florida, INC., 2011). The CDC states that one in five cases of HIV are unaware of their infection. Men who have sex with men (MSM) and minorities bear the greatest burden. Hepatitis had an incidence rate of 1.8 hospitalizations per 10,000 adults. Hospitalizations were highest among adults aged 45-64, followed by age 65-84 (Health Council of South Florida, INC., 2011). In terms of tuberculosis, it is the only one that has shown a decrease. The incidence rate is 6.4 cases per 100,000 people, which is an improvement from 10.3. The promotion of education and prevention programs is very

However, there is growing concern about the disproportionate increase of HIV among adolescent African American males ages 13-19. These adolescent males count for 37 percent of the cases, which double their representation in their general population. Although, Poverty is a major

One of the major topics correlated with adolescents is the increase in sexual activity among adolescents (Miller & More, 1990). The dramatic increase in sexual intercourse among members of the United States, mostly homosexual men, lead to one of the worst epidemics in history, the AIDS

(African Americans) raise concerns within the field of Public Health and should be addressed and treated within each community. African Americans are a minority population in the United States and disproportionally account for an estimated 44% of all new HIV infections among adults and youth as of 2010 1. Arizona has approximately 260,000 African American inhabitants, who represent about 4 percent of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.2 Roughly 602 out of 100,000 African Americans in Arizona had HIV or AIDS as of 2009. 2 HIV/AIDS is the 6th leading cause of death for A.A. males and tenth leading cause of death in A.A. females.3 The leading mode of transmission for HIV infection in African American men is homosexual sex as well as drug use, while for African American women it is heterosexual transmission. 6 Individuals will often fear the shame and discrimination that they will have to face if they walk into a clinic to ask to be tested, so some individuals come will completely avoid it and continue to unknowingly spread the virus to others.3 Factors that contribute to the high rates of HIV/AIDS in A.A. are poverty, lack of access to healthcare, lack of awareness, paid sex as well as residential segregation.6 All of the health disparities mentioned are associated with the results in high rates of

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are currently 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States (2017). The southern region of the United States continues lead the country in rates of new HIV infections (CDC, 2017). Jacksonville, Florida is among several southern cities reporting disproportionately high numbers of new HIV infections (ADSVu, 2017). In 2014, there were 6,553 individuals living with HIV in Jacksonville, Florida and 309 new infections were reported in 2015 (ADSVu, 2017).

“At the end of 2013, an estimated 1.2 million persons aged 13 and older were living with HIV infection in the United States, including an estimated 161,200 (13%) persons whose infections had not been diagnosed (cdc.gov).” Many people report never experiencing any symptoms and don’t even know

The state of Georgia is still ranked high for the many HIV/AIDS reported cases.  HIV?AIDS affected gays, teenager and especially African-American women because little is known about family planning. Even though HIV is not considered the primary cause of death for Americans, it is considered the leading cause of death for particular age groups.  The HIV/AIDS budget has decrease and many services had been reduced. Many programs and organization in Georgia like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are developing ways to minimize the spread of this disease, with a requirement of a new approach on prevention, treatments, testing and education those living with HIV often. Not many people living with HIV know the knowledge of transmission

occur more frequently in the teenagers than in older populations, and half of new HIV

Half of all new human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV infections in the United States and two thirds of all sexually transmitted diseases (STD) occur among young people under the age of 25 (Starkman, Rajani). It’s estimated that by the end of high school, nearly two thirds of American’s youth are sexually active, and one in five has had four or more sexual partners (Starkman, Rajani). Despite these alarming statistics, less than half of all public schools in the United States offer information on how to obtain contraceptives and most schools teach "abstinence only" education (Starkman, Rajani). Even more alarmingly there is little evidence that abstinence only curriculums are successful in encouraging teenagers from delaying

The more frequent occurrence of STDs in the younger generations are also based upon the multiple barriers in retrieving the benefits in STD prevention services which includes the lack of health insurance or inability to pay, no transportation, embarrassment of the services in the facilities, and worries of discretion. (STDs) According to the US Department of Health and Human Service, twenty five percent of sexually active adolescents have already obtained an STD. (Parillo) The severity of the issue is approached with the control strategies and educational strategies. In which these educational strategies are more effective when it involves a big health educational program that is provided to our minors. The young populations that are particularly affected by STDs are the young women with a low income for it is easier for a female to receive an STD compared to men. And with those women having a low income, they are not able to access the services that are being provided to them. Today, four in ten sexually active adolescent girls have obtained an STD that can cause infertility and death; also two thirds of adolescent boys have HIV diagnoses.

Adolescents in the Dominican Republic (D.R.), ages 15 to 24, are at high risk of obtaining a sexually transmitted infection (STI) due to lacking education programs and economic resources as well as an influx in tourism. Studies have indicated that 30.4% of Dominican youth were sexually active by the age of 12 and that only 34% of this population consistently used condoms. In particular, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an increasing threat to the D.R. due to excessive tourism. HIV sufferers in the D.R. have a regional prevalence rate of 1%, with young adults making up 18% of the infected population, placing Dominican adolescents as one of the world’s leading populations affected by HIV.

According to NATIONAL SURVEY OF TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS ON HIV/AIDS, “There are more than 1.1 million people in the United States living with HIV today, more than at any time in the history of the epidemic. Young people account for two in five new infections in the U.S., and minorities and gay men have been disproportionately affected. To better understand the views of young people in the U.S. on HIV/AIDS at this critical juncture in the epidemic, the Kaiser Family Foundation contracted with the research firm GfK in the fall of 2012 to conduct a national survey of 1,437 teens and young adults ages 15 through 24.( Kaiser Family Foundation 2012)” Nowadays, the age of maturity starts at an early age. From that point, they enter a world full of sexual desires that is apart of being human. This is why it is important for the parent(s) to be