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A 2010 study of 181 ZIP codes in New
York City examined the rates of HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and
hepatitis B, which are sexually transmitted, and two infections—hepatitis C and
TB—that are not sexually transmitted. The New York City Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene reported that concurrent infections of STDs, hepatitis C,
and TB plague many areas of the city.
ZIP codes in the Bronx comprised 68
percent of the areas with the highest concentration of multiple STDs. Results
of the study placed ZIP code 10474—Hunts Point, in the Bronx—in the top 20
percent for hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV/AIDS infections. The
Tremont section of the Bronx, ZIP code 10475, was in the top 20 percent for all
seven diseases. Almost half of the residents in Tremont are below the federal
poverty line. Nineteen other ZIP codes in the South Bronx, North Manhattan, and
north-central Brooklyn had high rates of poverty and ranked in the top 20
percent for HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, and gonorrhea.
Thirteen Manhattan ZIP codes
reported HIV/AIDS rates in the top 20 percent: Chelsea-Hell’s Kitchen, Central
Harlem-Morningside Heights, East Harlem, Washington Heights-Inwood, and
Greenwich Village-SoHo. The top 20 percent rates of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C occurred
in 23 ZIP codes in South Bronx, north central Brooklyn, northern Manhattan,
Chelsea-Hell’s Kitchen, and the Rockaways in Queens.
The areas of New York City that were
hit hardest by hepatitis B and TB were characterized by large foreign-born
populations. These include Flushing Clearview, West Queens, Bayside-Little
Neck, Ridgewood-Forest Hills, Sunset Park, Bensonhurst-Bay Ridge, and Borough
Park in Brooklyn.
Staten Island was the only area of
New York City with no ZIP codes in the top 20 percent for concurrent infection
with STDs.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
