HIV/AIDS
Introduction
HIV/AIDS infection rates have risen from 2010 to 2013 and through 2014. However, diagnostic procedures were improved in order to cater for all diverse algorithms that had not been looked into in the previous years. According to the new criteria of diagnostics in 2014, stage 3 (AIDS) specifications were met. Trends and patterns of infections of the virus are influenced by gender, race/ethnicity, transmission category and Age of diagnosis.
Gender
In 2014, the rates for males both adults and adolescents were about 27.4 while that for females read 6.1. From the data, it is evident that female rates went down as that of males remained constant. According to statistics, males were responsible for the 81% of the HIV diagnostics (Jarlais, 2016).
Race/ethnicity
With reference to statistics, black African/American rates were 49.4, Hispanics 18.4, Native Hawaiians 10.6, American Indians 9.5, Asians 6.2 and whites 6.1. Along these lines, Asian and American Indian rates have gone up as those for African/Americans, Native Hawaiians and other races’ rates went down.
Transmission Category
Among the males, male-to-male sexual contact were related to the increased cases of infections. However, there was a decrease in cases of infections that resulted from injection drug use, heterosexual contact and male to male sexual contact decreased. For females, cases of injection drug use and heterosexual contact went down. A close look at statistics point out that male to male sexual contact accounted for 70% and 24% for heterosexual contact.
Age of Diagnosis
Children were excluded from diagnosis. Nonetheless, the highest category was 45-49 years with 13.7 and followed by 12.9 for those aged between 40-44 years.
The rates in Northeast and South went down as those in the West and Midwest remained constant in 2014.
Reference
Des Jarlais, D. C., Arasteh, K., McKnight, C., Feelemyer, J., Campbell, A. N., Tross, S., … & Perlman, D. (2016). Consistent estimates of very low HIV incidence among people who inject drugs: New York City, 2005–2014. American journal of public health, 106(3), 503-508.