January 7, 2015 - Human Rights Campaign
by Hayley Miller
A new study by the Southern HIV/AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that HIV diagnosis rates are highest in the Deep South region of the United States.
Additionally, the study found that the death rate among persons with HIV was higher in the targeted region (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas) than in any other region in the United States.
Other key findings include:
- In the targeted states, people who are African American, female and aged 13-24 are most likely to be diagnosed with HIV.
- Louisiana had the highest death rate from HIV in the targeted region.
- Survival rates were lower in rural and suburban areas.
Even as a rising tide lifts support for LGBT equality all across the country, this study is a stark reminder that who you are and where you live still has an enormous impact on how HIV is likely to affect your life. Continue reading…