Opinion Blog Post

I chose this issue because I felt like it wasn't talked about much. I also chose it because I hope that with this blog I am able to help and inform people with this information that I am sharing. Another reason, is that I want to learn more about this issue. When, I first started looking into it, I wasn't really sure what it really was. I also didn't know how many people it affected or what the causes were. I just wanted to learn more about this topic and the background behind it. I have learned that it actually affects a ton of people. It affects their lives and different aspects of it. I have also learned that the most places it has affected are Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. At least, 2 million people are affected by AIDS in these places I have mentioned above. I have also learned that men who have sex with men are the people most affected by AIDS. This surprised me a lot because I never knew that. I had always thought that women were the most affected by AIDS but to find out that gay men are the most affected by this is surprising to me. I am excited to learn about medications and treatments that can help reduce AIDS in the future. I also hope to find out that less people are being affected by this. I hope the information that I put out and share with you can help you or someone you may know.

https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/hiv-aids-awareness-red-ribbon-symbol-vector-19822360

Information: https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics

Who is being affected by AIDS?

There is a lot of people that are being affected by AIDS. Although, gay and bisexual men are the population most affected by HIV in 2017. Gay and bisexual men accounted for 66% of all HIV diagnoses and 82% of HIV diagnoses among males.
Among all gay and bisexual men, HIV diagnoses remained stable from 2012 to 2016, but trends varied by race/ethnicity: 

• HIV diagnoses among white gay and bisexual men decreased by 14%. 
• HIV diagnoses among African American gay and bisexual men remained stable. 
• HIV diagnoses among Hispanics/Latino gay and bisexual men increased by 12% 

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics

Some groups of people in the United States are more likely to get HIV than others because of many factors, including the status of their sex partners, their risk behaviors, and where they live. Gay and bisexual men have the largest number of new diagnoses in the United States. Blacks/African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Also, transgender women who sex with men are among the groups at highest risk for HIV infection, and injection drug users remain at significant risk for getting HIV.  

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/who-is-at-risk-for-hiv

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/who-is-at-risk-for-hiv

Information: https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics

Where in the world is AIDS taking place?

HIV is the disease that causes AIDS it has reached every corner of the globe although some places are more heavily affected than others. The vast majority of people living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. There were approximately 36.9 million people worldwide living with HIV/AIDS in 2017. Most people living with HIV are in the low-and middle-income countries.

https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/pepfar-global-aids/global-hiv-aids-overview

In 2017, there were 19.6 million people living with HIV (53%) in eastern and southern Africa, 6.1 million (16%) in western and central Africa, 5.2 million (14%) in Asia and the Pacific, and 2.2 million (6%) in Western and Central Europe and North America. The HIV epidemic not only affects the health of many individuals, it impacts communities, households, etc. In 2017, there were 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States. Many of the countries hardest hit by HIV also suffer from other infectious diseases, food insecurity, and other serious problems. 

https://www.avert.org/infographics/hiv-and-aids-usa

Information: https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world