Posts
Flor Castañon, health department
HIV/AIDS medical case manager for Yuma County, Ariz., notified county residents
that annual HIV/AIDS incidence in the county is still approximately 14 new
cases. Once a virtual death sentence, HIV is more like a chronic disease now,
according to Castañon, who stated that HIV-infected individuals can live 30 or
more years with proper medical treatment and a healthy lifestyle.
Castañon reported that most of
Yuma’s 211 HIV- and AIDS-infected cases are attributed to unprotected sex
between men who have sex with men. Some of Yuma’s HIV incidence also result
from unprotected sex between heterosexuals and needle sharing among injection
drug users. Approximately half of Yuma’s HIV-infected population is Hispanic.
National HIV data indicate that almost 20 percent of HIV-infected people are
unaware of their infection.
Yuma County Health Department provides
HIV/AIDS health education and connects underserved populations with the
federally funded Ryan White Program that assists with doctors, medications, and
case support.
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!
