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August 28, 2008

New York Rate of HIV Infection Soars Above National Average

New York Rate of HIV Infection Soars Above National Average

For the first time, the New York City health department has issued a study that is able to determine the number of new infections of HIV in a year. The study, which reports on 2006, is the most precise estimate ever of citywide HIV infections, according to the health department.

In previous years, findings have been able to track the number of new diagnoses in a test year, but results haven’t been able to distinguish new infections from those that occurred in earlier years.

The latest study further confirms previous findings that have placed the average of new HIV infections in New York far higher than the national average.

Director of HIV epidemiology Beth Begier says the study’s latest findings will help New Yorkers have a more accurate understanding of what they’re faced with.“Having a number is helpful,” Begier explains. “It’s another way to let people know that New Yorkers are at higher risk and to urge them to take the necessary precautions.”

The 2006 study finds that 72 of every 100,000 New Yorkers were newly infected that year, compared to 23 of every 100,000 people nationally. Begier says the average is higher in a city like New York in part because of the city’s diverse population as well as its being one of the first places the HIV epidemic showed up.

“It’s really two issues. One, we have more of our population at risk compared with other parts of the country," Begier adds. "We have more men who have sex with men. Additionally, we’ve had the epidemic longer than some parts of the country. Some of New York’s groups have become highly affected, so it’s continued to spread.”

The latest findings will assist the health department in its continued outreach efforts throughout New York City, including condom distribution, a grassroots online campaign aimed at gay men, and its most recent undertaking, an effort to get every all Bronx residents to learn their HIV status.

For more information on the latest New York statistics, visit www.CDC.gov. (The Advocate)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Zubin
    Date posted: 2008-08-28 7:20 PM
    Hometown: New York

    Comment:

    It is very sad that HIV medication has given gay men the delusion that having HIV is no longer a big deal. How have we New Yorkers become so blaze about something so important like out health? There are many reasons for gay men in nyc being so obviously dumb. Firstly, the newer gay men (younger) have not seen their friends die to HIV is just some silly disease not a big deal. Secondly so many gay men are in the closet and the only thing they know about being gay is gay sex. Thirdly, there is an internalized self hatred which a lot of gay men have and this is manifested in gay sex and not caring about ones self. It is very sad, we are likely to be able to get married at some point and some gay men chose to get infected. What does that say about us as a community?


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