The Rise of HIV Among Black Women

On Wednesday, April 13th York College’s Health Services hosted its annual Wellness Festival, once again they organized a great and informatic gathering in the atrium of the school. There was an abundance of informatic tables offering students a wide variety of health related issues from insurance too most importantly HIV testing.

The frightening factor is that many young girls and women are naïve to the fact that HIV is soaring among black women in the United States. In a recent study according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention out of all the women in the U.S. with HIV black women make up 67% of the total. More than 11,000 women, ages 13 and older, were diagnosed with AIDS in 2003, says the C.D.C.P.

I spoke to Karen Corrales who is an Outreach Coordinator for the Southeast Queens Clergy for Community Empowerment, Inc. (S.Q.C.C.E); she was very intuned with today’s concern of the growth of HIV/AIDS amongst black and Hispanic women. Corrales says, Just being a woman is a problem. Most cases come from their partners. Most African American and Hispanic men don’t want to use condoms, we trust them so we don’t use them.”

Corrales stresses the importance of awareness and knowledge. She says, “Go get tested people are afraid of just knowing, but you can live ten, fifteen, or twenty years with the virus. They have medicines they can use to maintain the disease and live a long life. But you should want to know.” She also believes that we are in a crisis situation she told me that there are many cases right in the Rockaway, Queens’s area and that the numbers are growing. Although Corrales is a professional in the field I also wanted the insight of our own York community.

I asked several ethnic women if they believed that women who are infected should bear children knowingly or unknowing. Jo Ann Glenn and english major replied, “ If a woman knows that she is HIV positive or has the actual virus, to become pregnant should not be a possibility. If she doesn’t know or becomes aware during her pregnancy, I think abortion would be an anwer.” Tania Breton a student and resident of Queens says, “I thinks it’s wrong to have children knowing that they will be positive. That’s so hard a thing to have, not to mention to geow up with.”

But Corrales says, “Its that person’s rights. You have a right just like gays who adopt. As long as they know the consequences and are aware of the time that will be needed for that child, but there is a chance that child will be negative. If the parent follows precautionary steps and take their meds the child might be negative.” Tiffany Malvone and english major believes,

“It is up to the mother. She will have to deal with the situation and the questions the child will have.”

Other female students voiced their opinions as to if York does enough to foster awarness for the HIV/AIDS problem. Rosa Ginnard and English major said “Its very scary. Women and Men need to be more aware and get tested if they are sexually active.” Ginnard also feels that York does a lot to forster awareness, by having health fairs and providing numbers and locations as to where one can go to get an HIV/AIDS test. Sorka Mansargy Marketing major says, “Well in my writing 303 class this semester with Prof. L. Freer, we spent the first few weeks of class on this subject. But I did see a table up once or twice but I don’t really feel the school is doing a good job. Keep making the students aware.”

Overwhelmingly the roar amongst all women that I spoke with and even professionals is the fact of awareness. Recently I visited NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to get a TB (tuberculosis) test, in order for me to volunteer at my son’s school. Upon taking the TB test I was asked if I would like to take an HIV test. I said sure, but wanted to know why. The clinc advisor told me that HIV combined with any other virus (such as the common cold, the flu, anemia, or TB to name a few) constitutes the person to having full-blown AIDS.

I was also informed that there are various ways to test for HIV. Via a pad placed between ones gum and cheek for 2-5 minutes, or the pricking of the finger, but these test only give results for HIV I, they don’t check for HIV II which is contracted from certain African and Asian races.

York offers a wide variety of sources that enable the students to become advised and aware of health related issues. They are also in conjunction with the S.Q.C.C.E located at 89-31 161 Street, Suite 201 in Jamaica, walk-ins are welcomed or you can call (718) 297-0720 for more information. They have Case Management, which offer free services and assistance for early HIV intervention.

The underlining message is to GET TESTED! The fact remains that many aren’t aware that HIV/AIDS DOESN’T DISCRIMINATE!