Atlanta is now the ‘epicenter’ of the United States’ HIV/AIDS epidemic. Doctors are comparing some area neighborhoods to third world countries. What’s worse, this major health issue plaguing the city, had been flying under the radar. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Georgia is second as a state, in terms of new HIV diagnoses, while Atlanta is fifth among metropolitan areas with populations over 500,000. Additionally, the CDC reports that the Atlanta area zip codes with the highest rates are 30302, 30303, 30308, 30309 and 30310.
The spread of HIV is by far most prevalent among Black gay and bisexual men between the ages of 18-39, according to a 24 month study performed by researchers at Emory University. Of the men who had sex with men, 12.1 percent under 25 contracted HIV, compared with only 1.0 percent of the white men under 25. In comparison, studies indicate gay Black men have a 1 in 2 risk, Hispanic men a 1 in 4 risk and White men a 1 in 11 risk. Additionally, per a Grady Memorial study which offered HIV screenings to all emergency room patients, over half the newly diagnosed sufferers of HIV already had AIDS, meaning they had not realized they were infected for an extended period of time. The Georgia Department of Public Health states that 64% of adults with HIV in Georgia are Black, and lists AIDS as the leading cause of death for African American people in Georgia between the ages of 35 and 44.
Adding to the problem—public perception may hold the belief that the virus mainly effects gay men and drug users. This couldn’t be further from the truth! The largest group now affected by the disease is actually African Americans with little or no access to healthcare. In 2006, the CDC recommended routine HIV testing, at health care facilities. To date Grady Hospital is the only emergency department in Atlanta that offers such testing. This speaks to Georgia’s Republican Governor Nathan Deal’s continued refusal to expand Medicaid in the state, which puts poorer hospitals at risk and also means that more than half a million poorer Georgia residents continue to go without healthcare. Deal cleaving to his GOP partisan stance, contends that Georgia can’t afford the expansion. Truth is, what Georgia can’t afford is this sort of deadly health crisis?Â
The push for more effective HIV prevention has become increasingly urgent. However, at the end of the day, we must be responsible for our own wellbeing. The wake-up call has gone out, the CDC reports the risk of being infected with HIV in the state of Georgia is now 1 in 51. Now, is the time to truly get serious about protecting ourselves ladies and gentlemen. And, please get yourself tested regularly, your life could depend on it.
