Troubling Trend In HIV/AIDS Diagnoses

HIV Diagnosis Statistics Up Sharply In Young Men Who Have Sex With Men, Says CDC

(WebMD)  HIV diagnoses in the U.S. are on the rise among men who have sex with men, especially among males aged 13-24.

That news comes from the CDC, which tracked HIV/AIDS diagnoses reported by 33 states from 2001 to 2006.

During that time, those states had 214,379 HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Men who have sex with men account for almost half - 46 percent - of those diagnoses.

Every year from 2001 to 2006, HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men rose by 1.5 percent overall. But that figure doesn't tell the whole story.

The youngest men, those aged 13-24, had the steepest estimated annual increase - 12 percent in HIV/AIDS diagnoses. And the increase was higher - 15 percent per year - for African-American men aged 13-24 who have sex with men, compared to 9 percent among white and 8 percent among Hispanic men of the same age who have sex with men.

Men who have sex with men were the only high-risk group to show an increase in HIV diagnoses during 2001-2006. HIV diagnoses dropped during that time among heterosexuals who have high-risk sex, injection drug users, and men who are injection drug users who also have sex with men.

The findings appear in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

'Troubling' Trend

The CDC's new report is about HIV/AIDS diagnoses, not infection rates. Many people with HIV don't know they're infected.

But the new HIV/AIDS diagnosis statistics may be a red flag that HIV infection is rising among men aged 13-24 who have sex with men.

"Because these men probably have not been sexually active for a very long period of time, there's reason to believe that these diagnoses probably represent fairly recent infections and so it's an indication that infections may be increasing in this population," Richard Wolitski, PhD, acting director of the CDC's division of HIV/AIDS Prevention , tells WebMD.

Increased HIV testing probably doesn't explain the trend, according to the CDC.

'Sero-Sorting' Risk

The increase in HIV diagnoses among young men who have sex with men may partly be due to "sero-sorting," in which men who have sex with men choose monogamous relationships with partners whom they believe have the same HIV status as them. But they may be mistaken about their HIV status.

Some men, especially younger men, have "begun to shift from using condoms consistently as their primary risk-reduction strategy to sero-sorting," says Wolitski. He explains that while sero-sorting works theoretically in a monogamous relationship, it's risky in the real world because some men may be HIV positive and not know it.

"Most men who have sex with men have been tested at least once before," says Wolitski. He notes that in a 2005 CDC study conducted in five U.S. cities, 84 percent of the men who were HIV positive and didn't know it had been tested at least once before, but 58 percent hadn't had an HIV test in the past year.

"CDC recommends that all sexually active men who have sex with men be tested for HIV on at least an annual basis, and we recommend that [men who have sex with men] who are engaging in risky sexually practices be tested more frequently," says Wolitski.

June 27 is National HIV Testing Day, notes the CDC, which has posted a list of HIV testing sites online.

"It's not the case that men who have sex with men no longer care about getting HIV or are intentionally seeking HIV infection," says Wolitski. "The vast majority of men who have sex with men still are actively taking steps to avoid contracting HIV, and we know that HIV prevention interventions continue to be effective for this population."

Generation Gap

HIV prevention messages still work, but it can be hard to reach males as young as 13, says Wolitski, who sees the Internet as one potential way to get HIV prevention messages to young men.

Growing up decades after HIV/AIDS started may also be a factor.

"There seem to be some additional challenges in trying to introduce regular condom use among younger men, perhaps because they haven't had the experience of seeing the impact of the AIDS epidemic in the earlier years of the epidemic," says Wolitski.

[concernedmd]

Do not refer to male children ages 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 as ''men''. They are underage children, ie boys. Boys having *** with boys, and/or men ''having ***'' with boys: causing deadly AIDS. Stop using the euphemism of men ''having ***'' with men, when boys under age 18 are indicated...call it what it is- teen sexual activity or statuatory rape.

Children do not possess the capacity to consent to adult exploitation. Adult men ''having ***'' with boys is illegal predation and is prosecutable as rape.

Sexual intercourse in children is detrimental and dangerous. Premature sexual activity damages self-respect and self-esteem. Give boys the tools to succeed as strong male leaders who know their worth and dignity.

Children need protection, not with condoms, but with love. Involved parental supervision, athletics, and wholesome social activites prepare them for a bright future. Society must raise the bar, and expect boys to love rightly and develop responsible self-control over their actions.

The press should not be inappropriately misusing epidemiological language that misclassifies children as adults. Do not betray kids by re-defining their condition of youthful dependency as one of maturity.

It is our collectve duty to model for boys how to acheive goals, prize chastity, and be monogamous in marriage. Children should have such high regard for their own value, that they never place themselves at risk of mortal exchange of body fluids.

[drivelphobe]

Same gender sexual activity is abhorrent and carries the wrath of nature as its consequence. How absolutely sick can these people be.

[pharmacistmc]

According to the CDC 25% of those individuals infected with HIV are not aware that they are infected. An important step in fighting this disease is getting people to get tested. Whether it''s at their doctors, a clinic or using the at home test from pharmacies or from on-line home health screening companies, we need people to know their status for sure by being tested.

[gaye5]

The Health Risks of Gay ***
JOHN R. DIGGS, JR., M.D.
As a physician, it is my duty to assess behaviors for their impact on health and wellbeing. When something is beneficial, such as exercise, good nutrition, or adequate sleep, it is my duty to recommend it. Likewise, when something is harmful, such as smoking, overeating, alcohol or drug abuse, and homosexual ***, it is my duty to discourage it. (AS IT SHOULD BE OUR POLITICIANS)... Aids still kills more adults than all wars and conflicts combined. In Britain, the rate of infection has tripled in ten years.

Well isn''t that strange, disease and infections are the bedfellow of homosexuals. And homosexuals want us to teach homosexuality in schools as normal. They are obviously not caring about the children..

I have said this before...
At least 8 new sexually transmitted germs were identified between 1980 and 1997. Dr. Max Essex, chair of the Harvard AIDS Institute, warned Congress in 1992 that "AIDS has already led to other kinds of dangerous epidemics. .
Medical researchers have known for many years that the "homosexual lifestyle" is a very disease-ridden lifestyle.

[gaye5]

For example, one 1982 study mentioned in the maybe as high as 50 times normal.

And a 1997 New England Journal of Medicine study again drew attention to the "strong association between anal cancer and male homosexual contact."

Another study found that, 80% of syphilitic patients are homosexual; and young male homosexuals in America has about a 50% chance of getting H.I.V. by middle age, and they want us to teach homosexuality as normal to our children...like hell... I want my child to live not die..Homosexuals know that their life style is dangerous yet they still want us to teach it in schools..
And other studies have found exceptionally abnormally high rates of hepatitis B infection,7 hepatitis A infection,8 prostate cancer,9 colitis, enteritis, proctitis, and proctocolitis10 in homosexual men.

But leaders and homosexuals world wide under the guise of discrimination, still insist that school children must be immersed in the teaching of this death practice,..

According to a study by the CDC, in 2002, 88% of San Francisco syphilis cases were found among ****/bisexual men.12

Thank goodness there are thousands of men coming out of homosexuality and most succeeding in leading normal lives, but I cant understand why the media wont print it????

[gaye5]

ConcernedMD, spot on... I have only written a bit above of the diseases that is amongst homosexuals..the trouble is that it is passed to hetrosexuals through bisexuals.. Sexual disease is self inflicted..
And for those who say it is a gene, the two scientists who came up with this study were themselves homosexuals but below is an answer..
Serious scientists have long known that a simply "genetic" cause for homosexuality was highly unlikely, but the mass media conveyed the misimpression of genetic causation to the general public. In the Globe article, prominent researchers admit the distinct limitations of the "born that way" theory.

"Gay gene" researcher Dean Hamer comments, "It is the same for every human behavior--environment matters for extroversion, smoking cigarettes, just about anything you can name."

Interestingly, Dr. Hamer--himself a gay man--adds that science remains "just as clueless" as ever about the environmental influences on homosexuality.
We must realise that the life of our laws are logic and centuries of experience.

[bluestardad]

MEDICAL FIELD

CURE SOMETHING

ANYTHING!

QUIT MAKING MONEY OFF TREATING ILLNESS

PROVE YOU ARE WORTH THE BILLIONS AMERICA SPENDS ON YOU EACH YEAR!

AMERICA DEMAND MORE!

[oigen]

AIDS started off as a homosexual affliction and it looks like, according to Kevin de *** cheif guru of HIV/AIDS at the WHO, that it will end up as an exclusive homosexual one....http://tinyurl.com/56g4gd

[rushman71]

And people are trying very hard to tolerant, that being gaay is ok? Uhh, yeah right!!!

[dnamj]

I knew this story would bring out the bigots.

Nobody seems to mention that gay marriage would promote monogamy, and decrease the rate of new HIV infections.

Finally, to the bigots: why should you care if gay men are getting HIV. Unless you''re on the DL, it''s not your problem. What IS your problem is the massive and disastrous effects of overpopulation. Unfortunately, we all have to deal with that, even those of us who correctly chose not to breed.

[rf35]

I figure, if they want to risk their lives having unprotected gay seks, let them! BUT, deny them any publicly funded health care for any ailments associated with their homosexuality, right down to hemorrhoids. Private insurance pays or the cost comes out-of-pocket. I have no problem with people who choose this lifestyle so long as I don%u2019t wind up paying for it. I see it like paying for care for a whitewater rafter who broke a leg while on the rapids...why pay for his choice to engage in a risky activity?

As far as the ages go, I love how society has designated 18 as the magic age of adulthood. What total krap! I was more mature at 14 than most 21-year olds I know today! Physical and mental maturity, especially in regards to sexual activity, need to be determined in a different way. I don%u2019t know exactly what the best way would be other than going on a case-by-case basis (not very practical), but it sure isn%u2019t designating an arbitrary magic age.

[hypnotoad72]

I''m sure that new marriage law will help... (I doubt it; words vs actions and all that...)

I shouldn''t be cynical. They either wanted to die, or decided it felt so good it didn''t matter.

Pity this article came out during ''Pride Month''(tm) too.

I''ve lived a long life and have seen a lot... all I know is, those saying it''s a disease-ridden lifestyle do have some merit.

[spadeisspade]

RF35:

You''re being incredibly narrow minded about paying "your share" of insurance premiums. We engage in risky behavior on a daily basis-getting into a car is risky, and we have insurance to cover that. People choose to eat and get fat, which skyrockets health problems, yet you focus on homosexuality? Out with it (no pun intended). You''re a homophobe.

[mr_totten]

You''''re a homophobe.

Posted by spadeisspade
... ... ...
What is a homophobe?

[concernedmd]

The medical community condemns the promotion of teen sexual activity and sexual exploitation of children and adolescents. Male childhood sexual abuse has dire consequences, esp. psychological trauma associated with difficulty bonding with one partner for a lifetime (Holmes, 2005)

Promiscuity is antithetical to health and wellness.

I am old enough to recall the first AIDS patients at our hospital. My compassion was not enough to save them from the ravages of this burgeoning epidemic.

Healthy choices and self-discipline CAN prevent AIDS. Practice chastity until marriage and monogamy in marriage. Renounce the exploitation of youth. Act with personal responsibility. Build a future with dignity.

Journal of Urban Health. 2005
"Men''s pathways to risky sexual behavior: role of co-occurring childhood sexual abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression histories."
Holmes WC, Foa EB, Sammel MD.

"Recent reports of sexually transmitted infection-rate increases among men indicate the need for renewed study of male sexual risk behavior to aid development of...risk reduction interventions. Men who have childhood sexual abuse (CSA) histories consistently report frequent sexual risk behavior. "Sexual partnership patterns unique to men with CSA histories and comorbid PTSD/depression appear to lead to substantially higher numbers of ''lifetime sexual partners''..."

[gaye5]

rushman71, so true.. Homosexual behavior is lethal. Nearly 1,000,000 Americans have been infected with HIV.
Sexual diseases are self inflicted and if people knew that homosexuals do they would hunt these blighters out of the city.. eg..
The typical sexual practices of homosexuals are a medical horror story - imagine exchanging saliva, feces, (which is ingested when homosexuals use their tongue around the ***), *** and/or blood with dozens of different men each year. Imagine drinking urine, and experiencing rectal trauma on a regular basis.

Given the evidence above, and just as we do with Drugs etc, a loving person, or legislators, would say "No" to homosexual behavior especially as the homosexual lifestyle is extremely high-risk and often leads to disease and even death so "in light of the irrefutable medical facts, it should be considered criminally reckless for educators to teach children that homosexual conduct is a normal, safe and perfectly acceptable alternative form of sexual expression (or ''sexual orientation'').

[gaye5]

Wolitski says, HIV prevention messages still work, but it can be hard to reach males as young as 13.. HEY, these are boys not young males, and why are the animals who are raping them not in jail.. how else does a boy get aids if they are that young they have to be manipulated into the act or raped both are rape.
Doesnt America do anything about *** offenders of children now, has America sunk that low...???
I am not American so I dont know... and am beginning to be glad that I dont live there if this is the way Americans think of their kids, where is the outrage from parents, schools, leaders, and especially religious leaders..

[gaye5]

ConcernedMD, It is no longer just Aids that is the problem, as you would know, disease amongst homosexuals is on the increase 70% fold, plus there is now at least 8 new sexually transmitted germs were identified between 1980 and 1997. Dr. Max Essex, chair of the Harvard AIDS Institute, warned Congress in 1992 that "AIDS has already led to other kinds of dangerous epidemics, which of course will flow over into hetrosexuals through bisexuals.. But hetrosexuals deserve this as they have not put a stop to homosexuality, they have turned a blind eye to it..

[gaye5]

spadeisspade, I feel that it is you who is narrow minded you are not admitting that there homosexuality is a very dangerous life threatening life style, whic through bisexuals will effect us and our children in the future..
You said that We engage in risky behavior on a daily basis-getting into a car is risky, of course it is, but one doesnt set out to be killed in a car accident but homosexuals life expectency is only 50 yeats because of most homosexuals having diseases that can kill received from their many partners every week.. Oh yes I know that some have a semi permanate partner but most just roam around..

American.... AIDS deaths in 2007 2.1 million
Adult....... AIDS deaths in 2007 1.7 million
AND
Child....... AIDS deaths in 2007 0.33 million
What were the deaths from car accidents in America...

[oigen]

Gaye5 writes......
"American.... AIDS deaths in 2007 2.1 million" ?????
Where did you get these numbers from? Out of your rear ***? The CDC is claiming only some 15,000 so-called AIDS deaths.