March 5, 2008

Is Poverty the Root Cause of the Black AIDS Epidemic?

Economics play a fundamental role in the rising rates of HIV among African Americans, says an editorial written by U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) in The Louisiana Weekly (louisianaweekly.com, 3/3).

Ellison highlighted the fact that one in four African Americans was living in poverty in 1999, and says that this has had a direct impact on the disproportionate rates of HIV in the black community.

“America is currently awash with fears of recession, the foreclosure crisis and deepening unemployment,” Ellison wrote. “When the economy sours, those who earn the least typically suffer the most. Unfortunately, those same people are statistically more likely to be suffering, literally, from diseases such as HIV/AIDS.”

Ellison claimed that in addition to the economic challenges the black community faces, those who are struggling with HIV/AIDS are also dealing with a lack of confidence in the health care system, incarceration and homophobia.

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Previous Comments:

Crandall, San Francisco, 2008-04-08 16:46:06
Hi excuse me but it is not an epidemic if the numbers are going down.

Nikki, philadelphia, 2008-03-25 16:27:36
I think it's lack of education. People tend to think "It won't happen to me." There are still people walking around thinking it's a gay disease. Their are people that think if you're married you'll never contract it. It never dawn on them that their spouse could be involved in an extra-marital affair, drugs etc.

Reality Check, Chicago,IL, 2008-03-18 11:52:28
Come On People!!! Not only is it an African American issue, it is a human race issue that transcends all walks of life, and all socioeconomic levels! It's called an EPIDEMIC!! Wake UP!!

Just a Thought, Fort Lauderdale, 2008-03-12 07:21:52
Katy, That is exactly what I was trying to get you to do, "open your eyes" if bug chasing is indeed a possibility in any community then lets be willing to take a look at it and see what may be done to address this alarming practice.

Katy, Portland, 2008-03-10 15:16:03
I just have to say that I am entirely disgusted with the blatent racism alive in these comments below. Terrible. It is just comments and beliefs like these that perpetuate health disparites in the first place. Wow people, open your eyes.

tired of hearin bout blacks, atl, 2008-03-09 09:44:56
yes i agree african amer. have become bug chasers so they can get ss checks just like they did in past for babies and welfare checks

Ron, Columbus, 2008-03-07 10:17:23
If by poverty you are talking about welfare, which seems to be the real issue, then welfare balcks do have a problem. If the government has made it easy for some to breed recklessly, use and sell drugs, and prostitute themselves, as blacks do in large metropolitan areas, then there is a problem. Remove the welfare and educate these people, and you'll have a turn around in infection rates among blacks. I lived in a large black area, and this is all they seem to do with the free time they have.

Just a Thought, Fort Lauderdale, 2008-03-07 04:09:36
Why has no one ever addressed the possibility of "bug chasers" in the African American community?(for whatever reason they may do it) This is definitely an issue that comes up in the gay HIV community. I think it's time that we all got our heads out of the sand and stopped worrying about being politically incorrect and looked at this as a possibility as to the high percentage of blacks contracting HIV. I would love to see an article addressing this possibility.

rictus, Baltimore, 2008-03-06 17:15:52
Ellison shows correlation, not causation. I don't think there's one major cause for high rates of HIV in Black America; poverty has its part but so does culture and other factors. It's not the simplistic cause and effect Ellison and others in the AIDS industry lay-out to bolster victim status and avoid critical thinking.

sting, , 2008-03-06 16:19:09
While poverty may be a glaring component in African Americans HIV infections, I think poverty makes any race susceptible to infection. People with fewer resources make decisions to help them survive in the short run, even if they know it could negatively affect their health in the long run. Poverty erodes away resources that keep us from desperate measures to survive.

HandyMan25, Cocoa, 2008-03-06 15:38:27
I'm white and it's nothing to do with race. It's to do with choice. One today can play safe or not it's up to them. I'm poor but had money when I became HIV. All to do with choice.

JUDAH777, NYC, 2008-03-06 13:00:02
I think thats a bunch of bull.Ones social status has nothing to do with it.Us African Americans have the highest HIV/AIDS rates in general whether or not they live in poverty.

msn, , 2008-03-06 10:04:57
this is not fair I am a white male on medicaid and *19 years) and have had excellent medical care. many surgeries, hiv related liver problems OI, and am living with 350 t-cell and an undectable viral load. I just don't buy that excuse. oh and my salary from disability is $8500. a year.