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Women get AIDS too
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In the United States, especially White America, AIDS is often associated with the gay male community, where it remains a serious epidemic. Yet in 2005, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, 9708 infected women accounted for 26% of the total number of AIDS cases. AIDS was the leading cause of death for African American women between the ages of 25 and 34 years.
Worldwide, according to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, in 2008 women comprised more than half of all AIDS cases, or 50.3%. In Sub-Saharan Africa women accounted for 60% of all AIDS cases, in North Africa and the Middle East 54.2%, and 32.3% in Latin America.
While many women have contracted AIDS through intravenous drug use, it's estimated that 80% became infected through unprotected sex with men. Women engaged in sex work are especially vulnerable in this respect.
Ironically, while HIV transmission is much more widespread among gay and bisexual men than exclusively heterosexual men, among lesbian the reverse is true: women who have sex ONLY with women are less likely to contract the disease through sex than bisexual and heterosexual women. Yet lesbian-identified women can and do become HIV positive through intravenous drug use or from occasional sex with males.
There appears to be little reliable data concerning AIDS among transsexual women. There have been estimates that in major cities 25% to 50% of male-to-female transsexuals may be HIV positive. As with Natal women, AIDS is believed to be especially prevalent among transsexual sex workers, most of them ladies of color. However in recent years there have been efforts to educate transwomen about HIV transmission and how to prevent it. There appears to be little reliable current data on this subject.
As with many other health issues, there is still a tendency to overlook the problem of women who have AIDS. As women gain equal rights worldwide, there hopefully may be more attention paid to this critical issue.
New Mexico AIDS Services has a special Women's Health Project concerned with the prevention and treatment of AIDS in women. Their phone number in Albuquerque is 505-938-7100, or 888-882-2437.
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