Hiv Statistics: Knowing The Numbers And Avoiding Being Included
Almost all statistics shows that every year, there are increased cases of those people acquiring HIV leading to AIDS. In knowing the numbers, we should also consider how we are going to avoid acquiring this deadly syndrome.
Modes of transmission have remained constant throughout the course of the HIV pandemic. The virus is spread through certain sexual practices, through exposure to blood, and through perinatal transmission. The patterns in the spread of HIV changed considerably during the first 19 years of epidemic in the United States. Comparing the 1980's with the 1990's, significant increases have been noted in IV drug users, women, and heterosexuals. Although most Americans infected with HIV continue to be men who have sex with men, the overall number has decreased considerably. This decline, however, has been limited to white men; the number of new HIV infections among racial and ethnic minority men who have sex with men continues to increase.
In young adults, ages 19 to 29 years, the number of new infections has been increasing, especially in the South and Midwest, HIV infection and AIDS are second leading cause of death among ages 25 to 44 years. Perhaps the most overlooked population of the HIV and AIDS epidemic is adults over age 50 years. By 1999, about 11% of the nation's total number of reported AIDS cases was in this age group. People over age 50 years may not be tested promptly for HIV because they and their health care providers may not perceive them to be at risk for this disease. Women over age 50 are acquiring HIV infection primarily through heterosexual contact. Although the largest numbers of AIDS and HIV reported cases have been in large cities, there has been a shift of newly diagnosed infections to small cities and rural areas.
According to the recent reports, AIDS statistics in U.S. shows that at the end of the year 2007, it was estimated that 468,578 were living with AIDS. The principal mode of transmission of HIV throughout the world has been through sexual exposure. One important lesson that health care professionals have learned from the HIV epidemic is that sexual practices, not sexual preferences, place people at risk for STDs. Homosexual men who do not engage in unprotected anus-penile sex or expose themselves to another person's body are no more at risk for acquiring HIV infection than anyone else.
Heterosexual or homosexual couples in long term monogamous relationships are at low risk. The problem of unsafe sexual encounters outside of these relationships does, however pose a risk. Sexual practices that are completely safe include masturbation, mutually monogamous relationships between non-infected partners, and abstinence. Very safe sexual practices include non-insertive activity. Insertive practices with a condom are considered probably safe as long as the condom does not break and no contact with body fluids occurs.
Seeing the staggering number of HIV positive and AIDS afflicted population, it is very important that you get regular tests at STD clinics if you are already sexually active. This would help you to avoid being included in that set of numbers.
Modes of transmission have remained constant throughout the course of the HIV pandemic. The virus is spread through certain sexual practices, through exposure to blood, and through perinatal transmission. The patterns in the spread of HIV changed considerably during the first 19 years of epidemic in the United States. Comparing the 1980's with the 1990's, significant increases have been noted in IV drug users, women, and heterosexuals. Although most Americans infected with HIV continue to be men who have sex with men, the overall number has decreased considerably. This decline, however, has been limited to white men; the number of new HIV infections among racial and ethnic minority men who have sex with men continues to increase.
In young adults, ages 19 to 29 years, the number of new infections has been increasing, especially in the South and Midwest, HIV infection and AIDS are second leading cause of death among ages 25 to 44 years. Perhaps the most overlooked population of the HIV and AIDS epidemic is adults over age 50 years. By 1999, about 11% of the nation's total number of reported AIDS cases was in this age group. People over age 50 years may not be tested promptly for HIV because they and their health care providers may not perceive them to be at risk for this disease. Women over age 50 are acquiring HIV infection primarily through heterosexual contact. Although the largest numbers of AIDS and HIV reported cases have been in large cities, there has been a shift of newly diagnosed infections to small cities and rural areas.
According to the recent reports, AIDS statistics in U.S. shows that at the end of the year 2007, it was estimated that 468,578 were living with AIDS. The principal mode of transmission of HIV throughout the world has been through sexual exposure. One important lesson that health care professionals have learned from the HIV epidemic is that sexual practices, not sexual preferences, place people at risk for STDs. Homosexual men who do not engage in unprotected anus-penile sex or expose themselves to another person's body are no more at risk for acquiring HIV infection than anyone else.
Heterosexual or homosexual couples in long term monogamous relationships are at low risk. The problem of unsafe sexual encounters outside of these relationships does, however pose a risk. Sexual practices that are completely safe include masturbation, mutually monogamous relationships between non-infected partners, and abstinence. Very safe sexual practices include non-insertive activity. Insertive practices with a condom are considered probably safe as long as the condom does not break and no contact with body fluids occurs.
Seeing the staggering number of HIV positive and AIDS afflicted population, it is very important that you get regular tests at STD clinics if you are already sexually active. This would help you to avoid being included in that set of numbers.