AIDS death rate
declines in New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services recently released a report tracking the state's progress toward meeting the goals of the health improvement project Healthy New Jersey 2010. Among other findings, the report stated that the death rate from AIDS among those ages 25-44 is down 27% to 20 deaths per 100,000 people. The drop is attributed in part to successful drug therapy. However, the rate of new HIV cases was 22 times higher among African-American women than among whites in 2002. The state needs to increase the number of elderly women who are screened for cervical cancer, says the report, which is based on analysis of data on about 150 health measures collected through 2002-2003. (AP)