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HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia The HIV epidemic is currently estimated in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania based on AIDS data, which by definition means that our "picture" of the epidemic is outdated since those who now have AIDS are likely to have contracted HIV more than ten years ago. However, based on AIDS data, we believe that HIV continues to have a growing disproportionate impact on racial/ethnic communities in Philadelphia, particularly hard hitting in the African American and Latino/a populations in Kensington, Center City, North, West and South Philadelphia. Through December 2000, thirteen thousand six hundred and ninety four (13,694) city residents were reported with AIDS; 6,225 (45%) are known to have died and the remaining 7,069 presumed living with AIDS represents the first time that the cumulative number of living has exceeded dead. Philadelphia Cumulative AIDS Cases The number of AIDS cases diagnosed per year declined steadily from 1995, when effective retroviral therapies became widely accessible, through 1998. In 1999 the number of cases increases by 283 cases, a 30% increase over the previous year's 863 cases. Reasons to believe that the increase was actual: 1) the date of diagnosis is relatively stable and not easily influenced by changes in surveillance strategies: 2) national data indicate a rise in newly diagnosed cases: 3) evidence from studies funded in other cities suggesting that some high risk populations are no longer adhering to safe practices: 4) anecdotal information regarding treatment failures and/or an increase in resistant strains of HIV. Reasons to believe that the increase may be an artifact of reporting, and not an actual increase in cases: 1) without lab surveillance AIDS cases may have been under-reported and lost to reporting due to the delay, thereby exaggerating the increased reporting. Lab surveillance of AIDS cases began in 1999. It is too early to identify this as a trend, so we must wait for at least one more year's worth of data. |
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