The
highest worldwide incidence of HIV acquisition, which accounts for
approximately half of new infections (N=780,000 in 2012), occurs in individuals
between 15-24 years of age. HIV is the second leading cause of death among
young individuals worldwide. This global incidence is similar to that of the
U.S. population in which 13-29 year olds account for as much as 40% of newinfections. Moreover, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is not equally distributed
geographically, but is more prominent in the southern states, and particularly
in Florida where the prevalence of HIV among Hispanics is nearly twice the
national rate.
Moreover, Florida ranks second in terms of HIV/ AIDS prevalence
in the 13-19 year old segment of the population, with the highest rate in
Miami-Dade county. Individuals
at highest risk for HIV/AIDS should be prioritized and targeted for prevention
intervention. In this regard, it is noteworthy that prevention programs have
been largely successful in reducing infection incidence, yet the rate of
decline has been lower among Hispanics/ Latinos compared to white non-Latino
youth. Complementing these alarming trends, Hispanic youth have the third highest
rates of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and
syphilis. Read more.............
No comments:
Post a Comment