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A Look at HIV and AIDS in Georgia on World AIDS Day

Today is World AIDS Day, observed every year on December 1st. The World Health Organization established World AIDS Day in 1988, making today the 20th anniversary of the observance. World AIDS Day provides governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations, and individuals with an opportunity to raise awareness and focus attention on the global AIDS epidemic.  Here are some facts about AIDS from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) here in Atlanta:

Around the world, 33 million people are living with HIV with nearly 7,500 new infections occurring each day. An estimated 3 million people are now receiving antiretroviral treatment in low and middle-income countries.

In the United States, CDC estimates that about 1.1 million people are living with HIV. These numbers will most likely increase over time, as antiretroviral drug treatments extend the lives of those with HIV and more people become HIV infected. As expected, as the number of people living with HIV grows, so does the opportunity for those with HIV to pass on the virus to others.

Here are some facts (based on research in 2006) about HIV and AIDS in the State of Georgia, as compiled by Georgia Division of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• A third of people diagnosed with HIV were ages 20 to 29.
• African-Americans represent an overwhelming majority of new HIV diagnoses in Georgia:  79 percent
• As of 2007, 32,740 Georgians were living with HIV/AIDS, a 27 percent increase since 2004
• Georgia has the eighth highest AIDS rate in the nation

You can find a number of resources and information from government and non-profit organizations online.  Here are a few national links to check out:

• The U.S. government maintains a Website called aids.gov where you can find information on testing, treatment and care, the latest research, and links to AIDS-related agencies and programs.
• There is also a Website by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a number of fact sheets and flyers that you can download for more information.
• Visit the AIDS Action Council to get involved in advocating for effective legislative and social policies and programs for HIV prevention, treatment, and care. AIDS Action is the longest-serving national HIV/AIDS advocacy organization, serving as a national voice for its members—community-based organizations, local health departments and clinics, treatment and prevention service providers, and health educators.

There are also several Georgia-specific resources out there:

• AID Atlanta provides education and support services for people living with HIV and AIDS.
• The Southeast AIDS Training and Education Center (SEATEC), a part of Emory University’s School of Medicine, has extensive links to information on available services and resources. SEATEC is the U.S. Public Health Service-designated AIDS Education and Training Center for six southeastern states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
• The Georgia Department of Health and Human Services has a Webpage that links to facts about HIV/AIDS in Georgia and details on the state’s policies.