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"The message is simple: If you don't know your HIV status, get
tested. If you find out you are HIV-positive, there are new
medicines and better therapies that can delay the progression from
HIV to AIDS, which is one of the reasons we are seeing AIDS numbers
decline in Illinois," Whitaker said. "Get tested. What you don't
know can kill you." In an effort to encourage people to get tested
on National HIV Testing Day, June 27, Whitaker visited Gift House
Inc., an organization that performs HIV counseling and testing and
is funded by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
"I'm delighted that Dr. Whitaker is taking this opportunity to
remind us that the 3 percent decrease in infections should be
welcomed with a redoubled effort at prevention and testing," said
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, from the 7th Congressional District. "In some
communities, including the African-American community, infection
rates continue to increase. … If you don't know your status, get
tested. … Don't put it off any longer. Get tested."
"We see a variety of clients at the Gift House who come in for
counseling or testing, including men who have sex with men, which is
the highest mode of transmission," said Gift House
co-founder and co-owner Rossana Weathersby. "Some people are too
embarrassed to come in for information or testing, but it is so
important to know your HIV status, especially for the high-risk
group of men who have sex with men and for African-Americans, who
tend to see higher infection rates."
On Sept. 15, 2005, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich launched the Brothers
And Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS campaign to address the increase
of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community. BASUAH focuses on
education, prevention and testing and targets African-Americans to
specifically address the increase in HIV cases reported within that
community.
In 2005, African-Americans comprised approximately 50 percent of
all reported HIV/AIDS cases in Illinois, 1,949 cases out of 3,906,
while they represent only 15 percent of the state's population.
BASUAH's goal is to decrease this disparity. In 2004,
African-Americans comprised 54 percent of all reported HIV/AIDS
cases in Illinois, 2,120 cases out of a total of 3,933.
In 2005, African-Americans accounted for the largest number of
AIDS cases, 52 percent or 713; Caucasians, 30 percent or 410,
Hispanics, 16 percent or 217; and people in the category "other," 2
percent or 26.
The rate of new HIV reported cases in Illinois is slowing. While
there was a slight increase in the number of reported cases in 2005,
the rate of new cases has dropped. In 2005, there were 2,540
reported HIV cases, compared with the 2,523 cases reported in 2004.
This slight increase in the number of reported cases represents an
increase of less than 1 percent in the rate. The rate is down
compared with an almost 16 percent increase in reported HIV cases
from 2003 to 2004. African-Americans accounted for almost half of
the reported cases, with 1,236, or 49 percent, although they
represent just 15 percent of the state's population. Caucasians
consisted of 31 percent of the reported cases, Hispanics made up 13
percent, and other is 7 percent.
Of the reported HIV cases among African-Americans, 65 percent
were male and 35 percent were females. African-Americans females
comprised 70 percent of the overall reported HIV cases among
females. African-American males comprised 42 percent of the overall
reported HIV cases among males.
In 2005, among the approximately 3,900 HIV/AIDS cases reported,
50 percent were among African-Americans. By mode of transmission, 43
percent of reported cases were among men who have sex with men; by
gender, 22 percent were among females. Of the cases reported in
2005, men having sex with men remains the leading mode of
transmission in Illinois, with 1,751 cases.
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Overall, among reported cases, injection drug use transmission
decreased from 574 in 2004 to 431 in 2005. In July 2003, the
governor signed landmark HIV prevention legislation allowing adults
at least 18 years of age to purchase and possess up to 20 syringes
from a pharmacy without a prescription. People purchasing syringes
are provided with drug treatment approved by the Department of
Public Health, and when purchasing syringes they get a brochure
about needle use and materials in prevention education. National
research finds that by allowing the legal purchase of syringes,
fewer people are sharing needles, which is one of the risk behaviors
for becoming infected with HIV.
Over the last year, the Wellness on Wheels mobile health van has
stopped in 44 locations across the state. Visitors to the wellness
van can immediately have health screenings, including HIV, hepatitis
B and C, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and blood pressure
and cholesterol tests. People visiting the van can receive their HIV
results within half an hour because of HIV/AIDS rapid testing, for
which the state adopted rules on Feb. 3. Approximately 41,400 people
have received educational information and 1,183 HIV tests have been
administered through BASUAH.
As part of the BASUAH campaign, the state has also worked with
African-American churches and their youth ministries to establish
peer networks that encourage HIV testing. Approximately 70
congregations have distributed BASUAH literature.
Programs targeting communities of color, which include
African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians, are a top priority of the
state's HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. For fiscal 2007, the governor
has budgeted $3.2 million for minority AIDS prevention.
Funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program was boosted by $2.5
million in fiscal 2007 to total $41 million in order to allow more
people with HIV or AIDS who meet eligibility requirements to be
served and to increase access to life-sustaining medicines.
Blagojevich also signed
House Bill 4302, sponsored by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz,
D-Chicago, which adds HIV/AIDS to the list of diseases covered under
the Illinois Cares Rx program, which provides prescription drug
assistance to low-income seniors and people with disabilities who
also have certain illnesses or conditions. For people who qualify
for both Medicare Part D and Illinois Cares Rx Basic, HIV/AIDS drugs
covered by Medicare Part D will be "wrapped" so that these
individuals will have small, affordable co-payments.
In addition, by ensuring these seniors and people with
disabilities are covered by Illinois Cares Rx, the Department of
Public Health, which previously covered the drugs for this
population through its AIDS Drug Assistance Program, will save $3.5
million dollars in fiscal 2007, and the state would spend 63 percent
less per Medicare-eligible client than it would spend through ADAP.
By shifting costs from ADAP to Illinois Cares Rx, the state would
reduce its future outlays for AIDS care by more than $1.5 million
per year.
On average, ADAP spends $12,200 per year to provide HIV drugs for
each client. An estimated 195 ADAP clients, with an annual income
roughly between $13,000 to $19,000, are eligible for both ADAP and
Medicare but cannot afford Medicare's steep out-of-pocket
prescription drug costs.
"The coordination of ADAP and Medicare is a first step in trying
to manage the increased utilization in the ADAP program. Our ability
to transfer some of our ADAP clients over to Medicare and continue
to provide wraparound services to ADAP clients will ultimately
result in a win-win situation for HIV-positives living in Illinois,"
said Feigenholtz. "We want this process to be seamless for the
client; that is key."
For more information, call the Illinois HIV/AIDS and STD line, 1
(800) 243-2437, between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.
to 11 p.m. weekends, or visit
www.basuah.org.
[Illinois
Department of Public Health news release] |
