HIV Is Top Health Concern in District

More than one-third of District residents identify HIV/AIDS as the top health concern locally, shows a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Washington Post.

African Americans, who are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, were much more likely to rank the disease as a top issue for them and their families. More than 44 percent of African-American residents said they were personally concerned about becoming infected, compared with 10 percent of white residents, the poll found. Sixty-five percent of blacks said they feared a family member might contract HIV, while only 8 percent of whites said the same.

The District’s overall infection rate of more than 3 percent is classified as an epidemic under CDC and World Health Organization standards. Three-quarters of residents with HIV/AIDS are African-American; 17 percent are white; and 5 percent are Hispanic, according to the city’s latest epidemiology report.

This disproportionate impact is reflected in survey responses. Almost seven in 10 blacks reported the spread of HIV/AIDS as a problem in their communities, compared with just half of whites. Citywide, 58 percent of residents acknowledged knowing someone who is living with or has died from the disease. Nationwide, that figure is 41 percent, according to a Kaiser survey.

The poll of 1,342 District adults was conducted by telephone from May 10 through May 31. The overall margin of error is roughly 3.5 percent, including 4 percent for the black sample and 6 percent for the white sample.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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