The percentage of people affected with HIV/AIDS in Minnesota has spiked recently. The state has recorded a 24 percent increase in the infection rate among teenagers, minorities and drug users.
Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Ed Ehlinger said the high number of people infected with HIV/AIDS is concentrated in areas with low access to medical care and have low income rates, Star Tribune reported. The state found that there are many HIV/AIDS cases in the Twin Cities zone, a major metropolitan area that comprises Minnesota's largest cities -- Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
HIV/AIDS Stronger Among Homosexuals & Colored Communities
HIV/AIDS cases in the Twin Cities occur in communities where colored people live and where plenty of men have sexual relations with the same sex. Several Minnesotans with ages 20 to 29 are infected with HIV/AIDS in those certain areas. Meanwhile, drug users infected with HIV/AIDS have rose up to 86 percent in the state.
According to Ehlinger, these high numbers of carriers can be lessened if at risk Minnesotans are provided with services that tackle HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment and care, Star Tribune listed. The spread of HIV/AIDS can be hampered through screenings and pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
PrEP is a pill named Truvada taken each day for people who do not have HIV/AIDS, but have high risks of acquiring it from others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, the pill prevents the virus from having permanent effects in the body once a person comes in contact with another who has HIV/AIDS.
Aside from sexual intercourse, HIV/AIDS can spread through shared syringes and other injection materials with someone who is carrying the disease. Alcohol and drug use can also contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS because these substances decrease people's inhibitions and make them less careful about who they are interacting with.
HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs
There are plenty of programs that help people with HIV/AIDS fight their diseases. Among them are Dining Out For Life, an annual event in Houston, Texas that brings 40 local restaurants together to raise awareness and funding for the testing, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
According to Houston Press, proceeds of the charitable movement will all go to the AIDS Foundation Houston. Over 60 cities are also participating in the event, which brings around 3,000 restaurants and 300,000 individuals working together to raise over $4.2 million annually.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program also provides services for people in the U.S. who don't have the financial means to battle their diseases, the Health Resources and Services Administration wrote. The program collaborates with cities, states and local community-based organizations.
