HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that weakens the Immune system by making it impossible to fight of the virus. There is no known cure for HIV/AIDs but there are medications available so, with proper treatment it can be controlled. HIV affect all races but Africans/ Americans are the racial group that is most affected by HIV/AIDs. Most the new diagnosis occurred within the African/American community and gay/bisexual African men are even more affected by it.
According to the CDC, African Americans made up just 12% of the US population but in 2014, 44% of the 19,540 new HIV diagnosis was within the African Americans community. 73% of these new cases were found in African Americans male and 26% in the females. HIV is also affecting young …show more content…
According to the CDC, the average lifetime treatment cost for HIV is $379,668. The average cost for antiretroviral treatment is $23,000 per year. The cost of testing for HIV in emergency departments, STD clinics, primary care settings, and urgent care centers is between $1,900 to $10,000. Most of the time these cost is cover by insurance (2016).
About 1.2 million people are now living with HIV (Kaiser Family Foundation 2016). African Americans living with HIV sometimes do not know that they are infected with the diseases and sometimes when they do seek medical care, they discontinue care with in 3 months. In 2012, about 14% of Africans Americans living with HIV did not know that they had the disease. 79% seek medical care but within 3 months, on 51% continue to seek care (CDC 2016).
Many African Americans are being diagnosed with HIV and they do not always seek treatment or get tested early due to many factors. One reason they do not seek treatment is due to the stigma and discrimination they experience within their community. My proposed policy solution to this problem is that the state government should provide funding to communities’ HIV/AIDs activist so that they can increase the awareness of HIV/AIDs through education program which will decrease stigma and
According to the CDC, African Americans made up just 12% of the US population but in 2014, 44% of the 19,540 new HIV diagnosis was within the African Americans community. 73% of these new cases were found in African Americans male and 26% in the females. HIV is also affecting young …show more content…
According to the CDC, the average lifetime treatment cost for HIV is $379,668. The average cost for antiretroviral treatment is $23,000 per year. The cost of testing for HIV in emergency departments, STD clinics, primary care settings, and urgent care centers is between $1,900 to $10,000. Most of the time these cost is cover by insurance (2016).
About 1.2 million people are now living with HIV (Kaiser Family Foundation 2016). African Americans living with HIV sometimes do not know that they are infected with the diseases and sometimes when they do seek medical care, they discontinue care with in 3 months. In 2012, about 14% of Africans Americans living with HIV did not know that they had the disease. 79% seek medical care but within 3 months, on 51% continue to seek care (CDC 2016).
Many African Americans are being diagnosed with HIV and they do not always seek treatment or get tested early due to many factors. One reason they do not seek treatment is due to the stigma and discrimination they experience within their community. My proposed policy solution to this problem is that the state government should provide funding to communities’ HIV/AIDs activist so that they can increase the awareness of HIV/AIDs through education program which will decrease stigma and