Sat. July 25, 2009
Chicago, IL -
Half of all men carrying the AIDS virus who were tested in a Chicago survey were unaware they were infected, according to a study released Friday by the Chicago Public Health Department.
Although HIV infection rates have been tracked by the city for years, this is the first time the Health Department has conducted HIV tests on men who have sex with men as part of a survey on HIV infection, city officials said.
In the study, conducted in 2008 by two Health Department epidemiologists, 524 men were tested and 91 of them were HIV positive. Half of those who tested positive did not know they were infected.
Overall, the rate of infection among the sampled group was 17.4 percent, an indication that an estimated 1 in 5 gay men in Chicago are HIV-Positive. Among all men in Chicago, the rate is about 1.2 percent, according to the study.
The findings confirm prior information about the AIDS epidemic in Chicago, and are consistent with rates in other large cities. Still, the results emphasize the need for more work to combat HIV transmission in Chicago, said Assistant Health Commissioner Christopher Brown.
"These rates are unacceptably high -- and clearly there is a need for continued, substantial efforts to reach people at risk with effective HIV education and testing services," Brown said.
The HIV infection rates among minorities are higher than whites and higher among older men than younger, according to the survey results.
Among 18- to 24-year-olds, the infection rate was 13.6 percent; for those older than 45, it was 22 percent. Among white men, the infection rate was 11.3 percent; among black men, it was 30.1 percent; and among Hispanic men, it was 12 percent.
"This report presents a sobering look at one very troubling aspect of the HIV epidemic and should serve as a call to action for everyone," added Alicia Ozier, Executive Director of TaskForce Prevention and Community Services. "Everyone engaged in the fight against HIV---from grassroots activists to service providers to grant writers and researchers---should use this document as a tool to better understand and better confront HIV in Chicago."
The document was released at a press conference at the West Side headquarters of TaskForce Prevention and Community Services. It was co-authored by CDPH epidemiologists Nikhil Prachand and Britt Skaathun Livak.
For more information on the study, done as part of the National HIV Behavioral Health Surveillance system, visit the Health Department's site HERE.
VIEW a video report by CBS2 Chicago.
ChicagoBreakingNews.com contributed to this article.
HIV/AIDS in Chicago:
Since the epidemic began, more than 22,000 Chicagoans have been diagnosed with AIDS. Thousands more are living with HIV infection but have not yet developed AIDS. Of the known AIDS cases in Chicago, more than 12,000 have died.
Since 1989, government resources to fight HIV/AIDS in Chicago have increased significantly, rising from just $4 million to about $50 million in 2008.
HIV Testing in Chicago:
Knowing your status can help you stay health and maintain a full, active lifestyle.
Howard Brown Health Center
4025 N. Sheridan Road, 773-388-1600
Free anonymous rapid HIV testing, confidential STD screenings for chlamydia and gonorrhea, syphilis testing and treatment, and Hepatitis vaccination services are available.
HBHC's Broadway Youth Center (For clients 12-24 years of age)
3179 N. Broadway, 773-935-3151
Free anonymous rapid HIV testing and confidential STD screenings for chlamydia and gonorrhea are available daily.
Howard Brown also offers field services and testing. For more information and schedules CLICK HERE.
Additional resources on HIV Testing and Prevention:
The HIV Testing & Prevention Program, funded by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health, operates daily from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. For more information about the HIV Testing & Prevention Program or to set an appointment, call 1-773-661-0910.
(www.CenteronHalsted.org)
Online Resources:
www.AidsChicago.org
www.CenteronHalsted.org
www.ChicagoHouse.org
www.TPAN.org
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