1. Today is a day to consider what we know, what we need to know, and what steps or directions we may go to reach the following vision.
2. A community … Where new HIV infections are rare… Where every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care…And every person will be free from stigma and discrimination.
3. Many Factors Must be Considered to Plan our Near Future Stark evidence of health disparities among various populations Anticipation of enormous changes in the nation’s healthcare system by 2014 A new HIV/AIDS strategy established by the Obama Administration emphasizing early identification of HIV to get people into treatment quicker
4. Over 4,400 Central Texans have been reported to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS
7. While the majority of cases continue to be in Travis County, growing numbers of patients live in surrounding counties, especially in Williamson and Hays Counties.
8. An estimated 1,000 additional residents of the 5-county TGA surrounding Travis County, Texas, carry the virus and do not know it. Lack of awareness of one’s status creates serious risk of spreading the virus, and of HIV advancing to AIDS.
10. Percentage of Austin TGA Cases, by Race and Ethnicity, Which Progressed to AIDS Within One Year of Initial Diagnosis (Five Year Average 2005 – 2009)
11. Advances in the treatment of HIV and AIDS with antiretroviral drugs has significantly lengthened life spans and raised the chance that if diagnosed early, relative normal lives can continue for many years. These drugs are available to all, regardless of whether or not a person has health insurance.
12. Most recently published epidemiological data (2009) strongly indicates the existence of critical disparities among Central Texas populations.
13.
14. Our community has an established infrastructure to offer needed services for individuals infected or affected by the disease.
51. RX Ryan White, Parts A, B & C Central Health Department of State Health Services Texas HIV Medication Program Social Services Agencies
Editor's Notes
Joseph introduces Christopher here
Fluid environment, funding comes and goes, programs come and go, different databases, surveillance database is always changing, taxonomies change, bla bla
Late to test and late to care means people have probably spread the virus.
When HIV progresses to AIDS, it is generally because a person does not know their status. Many of these received their HIV diagnosis only after they became very ill. On quick glance it looks like less black people are late to care – but this is absolute number, what we don’t know is if less black people are testing, what are they doing to access the care system?
