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Louisiana Statistics · As of September 30, 2012,
a cumulative total of 32,904 persons have been reported with HIV infection in Louisiana, including 333 children. · The cumulative number of deaths among persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS is 14,057. As of September 30, 2012, 18,493
persons are living with HIV infection in Louisiana; of these individuals,
10,123 persons (55%) have an AIDS diagnosis.
· Nationally, Louisiana ranked 4th highest in estimated AIDS case rates and 11th in the
number of AIDS cases diagnosed in 2010, according to the CDC 2010 HIV Surveillance Report.
· Baton Rouge ranked 1st for estimated
AIDS case rates among the largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. in 2010; New Orleans ranked 5th.
· In 2011, 1,275 persons were diagnosed with HIV in Louisiana, an 8% increase from 2010.
· In Louisiana, 29% of new HIV diagnoses
and 28% of new AIDS diagnoses are among women.
Click here to download the 2011 World AIDS Day Fact Sheet
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HIV/AIDS is a problem that affects all of us. One of the problems is that people
are afraid to talk about the virus. There are also those who think that HIV isn't a problem in this community.
Well, the truth is, that there are people infected with HIV in every parish in Louisiana. So, what about Ascension Parish? According to
the Louisiana Office of Public Health Third Quarter 2011 HIV/AIDS Report, as of September 31, 2011, there
are 192 persons
living with HIV/AIDS in Ascension Parish. So,
what about Louisiana Public Health Region 9? As
of December 31, 2010, 969 persons were living with HIV infection in Region 9; 531 (55%)
have an AIDS diagnosis. The number of persons living with HIV infection has increased each year in Region 9. The region consists
of the following parishes: Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa,
and Washington. In Region 9, 34% of persons living
with HIV infection live in St. Tammany parish, 32% live in Tangipahoa parish, 17% live in
Washington parish, 15% live in Livingston parish, and 2% live in St. Helena parish.
* Our HIV Prevention program is funded
by the Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation.
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HIV/AIDS FACTS - HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS.
- AIDS
(acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off
certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune
system.
- A person who is HIV positive carries the virus in certain body fluids, including
blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the
bloodstream of another person.
- The major risk factors for HIV positive women are heterosexual contact
and injection drugs.
- Although African Americans are 50% of the population, 83% of the HIV and AIDS cases are
among African Americans according to the Louisiana HIV/AIDS Surveillance Fourth Quarter 2007 Report.
- HIV
is not transmitted through food or air (for instance, by coughing or sneezing).
- Having a sexually transmitted
disease can increase your risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV.
- If you are injecting drugs
of any type, including steroids, do not share syringes or other injection equipment with anyone else. (Disinfecting previously
used needles and syringes with bleach can reduce the risk of HIV transmission.)
- Nearly half of the roughly
40,000 Americans newly infected with HIV each year are under the age of 25.
- There is still no
cure for AIDS.
Some of the above facts are provided courtesy of The Body: The Complete HIV/AIDS
Resource (www.thebody.com)
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