Black America's Exploding Health Crisis

African-Americans Make Up 49 Percent Of New HIV Cases

(CBS)  A report tonight has some dramatic numbers about HIV and AIDS. It says that a young person with the disease, properly treated, could now live to old age. In the 1990s, a 20-year-old patient could expect to live to be 56. But by 2005, that climbed to nearly 70. An increase of more than 13 years. Heartening news - until you realize there are more than one million Americans living with HIV/AIDS, more than ever before. And a disproportionate number are African Americans. CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston explains.

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"So, your husband knew that he had HIV?" Pinkston asked.

"Yes," Ida Byther-Smith said.

"And never told you?" Pinkston asked.

"No, never," she replied.

Byther-Smith is one of America's new faces of AIDS, an African-American woman who contracted the disease from someone she trusted.

"I always believed in abstinence until you get married. But what did that get me? It got me AIDS!" she said.

With a shoe-string budget, Byther-Smith now runs an AIDS community outreach program on Chicago's south side, teaching clients to avoid the mistakes she made. For instance, for years she refused to even admit she had the disease.

"I even had people tell me, 'oh you must have done something really bad for God to punish you like that,'" she said.

Ignorance and fear partly explain an exploding health crisis in America's black community.

Although just 13 percent of the population, the Center for Disease Control says that African Americans accounted for 49 percent of new HIV cases in 2006, the most recent year for which they have statistics.

The epidemic is also exploding among teenagers and young adults. Of new HIV cases between ages 13 and 19, 69 percent are black. Between the ages of 20 and 24, 56 percent are black.

"No matter how you look at it, through the lens of gender, sexual orientation or class, or level of education or the region of the country where you live, black folks bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic in this country," said Phill Wilson, a Los Angeles-based AIDS activist.

Wilson's also a 27-year survivor. He says early activists sent the wrong message to the black community.

"The mischaracterization of the epidemic ... a white gay man's disease made many black folks think they didn't have to pay attention to the disease," Wilson said.

The development of new miracle drugs dramatically increased survival rates. But the drugs are expensive - and many black Americans have neither private insurance nor the funds.

"A lot of people are dying because they're on a waiting list," Byther-Smith said. "And they can't get medicine."

AIDS activists complain they can't get much attention either from the presidential candidates. When senators John McCain and Barack Obama do mention the disease, their concern is often directed toward AIDS in Africa - not AIDS in America.

[erasmus81]

In wonderful Canada, you WAIT IN LINE for life saving operations.

Posted by edintex

Well where I live in Canada, I know of no one that has had to wait very long for surgery. And if it is life and death, you are having surgery, NOW.

Medical insurance is around $54, for a single person, $90 for married couple, and $100+ for family. That''s not bad. And EVERYBODY has healthcare.

[nothappyatall]

In wonderful Canada, you WAIT IN LINE for life saving operations.

Posted by edintex

Even if that''s so, the problem is NOT the system it''s TOO DAM MANY PEOPLE for the limited resources!

[nothappyatall]

YOU go to Canada; I will take my chances here in the U.S.

Posted by edintex

You sure WILL with the Bush cartel in power and possibly Mcsame starting WW3 with a "surprise" attack on Iran on some false pretext before he leaves office, then health care will be relegated to the far back burner of important things todeal with, the first being getting food and keeping your house and job.

[edintex]

Yeah, the American system sounds SOOOO much better!
Posted by newster1 at 08:29 PM : Jul 25, 2008

In wonderful Canada, you WAIT IN LINE for life saving operations. It does not matter what kind of insurance you have or how much money you have. At least in the US, you have a chance in a real emergency, with or without insurance. YOU go to Canada; I will take my chances here in the U.S.

[nothappyatall]

I have a friend who lives in Canada. The health care stories he tells me about their system are horrendous. Those of you who think their system is so wonderful should move there.

Posted by JackP32

You mean sorta like here where unless you have $600 a month for health insurance you basically are on your own unless you go to the ER? like if you don''t buy dental insurance or can''t afford a $1,200 crown you get the tooth pulled and go around with half your teeth missing?
You mean like how even if you HAVE Insurance there''s loads of high deductables, EXCLUSIONS and they can cut you off and not renew your policy, leaving you unable to buy elsewhere for your pre-existing condition?
Yeah, the American system sounds SOOOO much better!

[nothappyatall]

Its called Use a Condom.

Dont trust anybody and be safe.

Posted by XmanBorg

That''s having s3x with a piece of RUBBER then, what good is THAT?? may as well use a vibrator or blow-up doll.

[libsluv2spit]

the irony of nationlizing our US heathcare is that .the very people who wants the federal goverment to run this are the very same people who are suspicious of the federal governement..

[my2centss]

The only thing that aids drugs have done is extend the time that the virus can be spread to more people.

[hungryman9]

I know for a fact that many people from Canada cross the border to get health care in the US. They pay the full price, but they do get care. All this talk about Canada and Europe having universal coverage that think it is so good, should move there. You will realize how good it is here once you get there and pay all the tax they pay.

[promaclaura]

Posted by ProMacLaura at 11:32 AM : Jul 25, 2008

Honestly, I really do wish there were more people like you. If more people gave to charities, we wouldn''''t need universal health care. Cheers. Thanks for the debate, was fun :)
Posted by ccdsswrkr08 at 11:38 AM : Jul 25, 2008

Just wanted to follow up. I can''t claim that there should be more people like me, because I''m selfish to some extent. The people that deserve all the credit are the individuals who start these non-profit agencies. The one I''m involved with was started by a cancer survivor who was given 6 months to live, he beat those odds many years ago. Right now he gives everything he has to this organization and lives in poverty to do so. It''s ironic that I talk about him under a story about Aids/HIV, he is a gay man and does not have this virus but many would object to his lifestyle. So I hear what your saying about not grouping the poor who need help with those who voluntarily hurt themselves. There is always another side and thanks for debating on their behalf.

[xmanborg]

Its called Use a Condom.

Dont trust anybody and be safe.

[barbaraf4]

If you think socialized medicine is the answer, look no further than the Veteran''s Hospitals. Decide if you would really like to be put in the position of being cared for at one of them.

The military itself has socialized medicine. Thanks to them, my mother died of breast cancer at the age of 39.

It all sounds so good on paper; however, in reality, it might not be.

[jackp32]

I have a friend who lives in Canada. The health care stories he tells me about their system are horrendous. Those of you who think their system is so wonderful should move there.

[redbds]

Look at Europe and Canada. They have universal health care, it WORKS. Posted by ccdsswrkr08 at 11:05 AM

Canadians are often on waiting lists for years to get needed procedures done. The availability of health care under the Canadian system is terrible.

[redbds]

And to get out of the bleeding heart thing, who here isn''''t tired of paying out the wazoo for health care benefits?? It''''s like half our paycheck goes to that, when it shouldn''''t! A government should take care of it''''s hard working people!

Posted by ccdsswrkr08 at 11:15 AM : Jul 25, 2008

The government has too many deadbeats that want to live off of welfare to take care of. Hard working people will need to take care of themselves.

[nothappyatall]

newsterl
Are you saying have *** with a dog ? Wouldnt that be animal cruelty ?
Posted by patriot12436

Its called zoophilia look it up in wikipedia, dogs do not carry or contract HIV/AIDS or any of the human STDs, and no, it isnt cruelty unless the INTENT is one of force and abuse, see wiki.

"Wasnt HIV traced back to monkeys? Zoophilia? Dogs dont carry or contract HIV. Maybe they carry something worse?"

I was supposedly traced back to primates and either poachers contacting blood or eating contaminated meat in Africa, primates are our CLOSEST relatives, they are subject to many of the SAME diseases we are and that is why many virus'' in a person can infect a primate and vice-versa, I believe even influenza and hepatitus.

Dogs DO NOT carry or contract any of those or any human STD''s thats a medical fact. Humans cannot contract canine distemper, dogs cannot contract influenza and so on. The only virus communicable is rabies and ALL mammals can contract that.
A dog cannot become pregnant from a human and vice-versa, the chromosome number differs, a dogs egg can be fertilized and begin dividing, which means human sperm IS chemically attracted to that egg and penetrates it, but runs out the complete code.

[patriot12436]

ProMacLaura
Thanks for the support. All veterans like to receive support from the people they serve. I do not support the war in Iraq but i will always support our troops.

[ccdsswrkr08]

Posted by ProMacLaura at 11:32 AM : Jul 25, 2008

Honestly, I really do wish there were more people like you. If more people gave to charities, we wouldn''t need universal health care. Cheers. Thanks for the debate, was fun :)

[ccdsswrkr08]

The black culture promotes promiscuity a lot through their rap and videos. I have black children who are 9 years old in my neighborhood who act these motions out in front of me and listen to the nastiest music I''''ve ever hear. The white culture is not better in their rock music and country music. I think we need to stop promoting *** this way to our children because they think and act like animals with ***. It''''s no wonder since they believe they were evolved from monkeys anyway with the unproven garbage our schools teach them about themselves. They also try to teach them how to put condoms on bananas but somehow those condoms don''''t get used for what these idiots thought they would. You have to stop brainwashing people into thinking all this fornication is normal, then maybe they wouldn''''t be out scr**ing everything in sight because they are expected to and catching HIV/AIDS and other STDs. Your body is a temple, created by God for His glory, stop abusing it!


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Posted by AverJane at 11:26 AM : Jul 25, 2008

blink, blink.

[promaclaura]

You are a cold woman my dear. And though a good portion of me agrees with your sentiment, what would you do with a child who has no insurance, and who has never had a bad habit in their life, and needs surgery? Would you deny that child surgery because you don''''t want to pay for the smokers and over eaters? Look at Europe and Canada. They have universal health care, it WORKS. What about our rights? You do realize that right now your taxes are going to help pay for a drug addict to recieve treatment right? Your tax dollars are going to things FAR worse than public health care right now believe me.
Posted by ccdsswrkr08 at 11:05 AM : Jul 25, 2008

You deserve a comment before I go. I''m not cold, I just don''t believe in putting a band-aid over a sore that never heals. Universal Healthcare would do that, and I support program''s that prevent drug-abuse in the first place. Throwing money at an addict''s healthcare doesn''t stop the problem it prolongs it.

Also, I stated that I''m willing to help innocent children in my previous post. Many people with serious illness through no fault of their own rely on charities and fund-raising for their help and compassionate society steps up to the plate. Believe it or not, it does work. My Husband and I support a non-profit group in Michigan for cancer patient''s, this takes nothing from the tax-payer and allows those who can afford to help the ability to do so.