AIDS is a disease that affects many people throughout the world. It was first formally recognized in 1981, and since then, millions of people have become infected with the HIV virus. In this article, we'll offer some statistics regarding the disease known as AIDS so that you can get a better idea of how it affects us as a civilization.
-AIDS is a disease that is particularly threatening to male homosexuals. A study conducted in 2005 showed that out of 28,037 male subjects, a full 67 percent became afflicted with AIDS through male-to-male sexual contact. Heterosexual contact was found to be responsible for only 15 percent of the cases of AIDS in the study. The use of injection drugs was responsible for 13 percent of the cases. Females, on the other hand, were found to be most commonly infected with the disease through heterosexual contact. 80 percent of female cases of AIDS in the study were due to heterosexual contact, with injection drug usage surmising 19 percent of the cases.
By the same token, males were found to be much more likely to become infected with AIDS. Out of 37,930 people infected with AIDS in a study that was conducted, 74 percent were males and 26 percent were females.
As far as race is concerned, African Americans have been shown to be diagnosed with the disease more commonly than any other racial group according to a study conducted in 2005. 49 percent of the cases in the study occurred in African Americans, with 31 percent of cases occurring in Caucasians and 19 percent in Latinos.
Between the years of 2001 and 2005, the rates of AIDS infection in the United States have been on the rise. In 2001 there were 38,016 reported infections, with the number increasing until 2005 when there were 44,198 reported infections. In total, there have been 956,666 confirmed diagnoses of AIDS between 1981, when the disease was discovered and 2005. In all likelihood, the number of infections is higher, but many individuals fail to realize that they have the disease.
One of the most important things to consider when it comes to preventing an infection of the HIV virus is practicing safe sex. The generally preferred method of practicing safe sex involves the use of a condom, which can prevent HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases from spreading. A two-year study gauging the effectiveness of condoms for preventing HIV transmission showed that a full one hundred percent of the test subjects successfully avoided spreading the disease by using condoms while having sexual relations.
Worldwide, AIDS is reaching epidemic levels of transmission. Current estimates place the number of individuals infected with AIDS at a full 38 million. As many as 24.5 million of these cases are believed to exist within Sub-Saharan Africa alone.
Clearly, AIDS is a big issue that we are working towards tackling as a society. While advances have been made in AIDS treatments, there is still no cure for the disease. Hopefully, the rigorous research that is being conducted on the disease will bear fruit, but until then, you need to remember to take as many preventative measures as you can.
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