Global Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women

Of the estimated 39.5 million people living with HIV in 2006, 17.7 million (45%) were women. Women are most severely affected by AIDS in places where heterosexual contact is the dominant mode of transmission. According to the WHO, most women become infected through their partner’s high-risk behavior, which they have little or no control over. Women who are financially dependent on male partners are at a disadvantage in negotiating condom use.

For more information on the global impact of HIV/AIDS on women see the AIDS Epidemic Update, December 2006

 produced by the WHO and UNAIDS at http://www.unaids.org

Note: Women represent cases diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at ages 13 and over.

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Florida 2007

 

In Florida, women accounted for 27% of reported AIDS cases in 1997.  That figure steadily rose to 34% in 2007.  Adult women accounted for 29% of the HIV cases reported in 2007. 

 

In 2007, 1,317 AIDS and 1,776 HIV cases were reported among women.  The breakdown by race/ethnicity and mode of exposure are as follows:

 

RACE/ETHNICTY

AIDS

HIV

 

White

200

15%

374

21%

 

Black

945

72%

1,118

63%

 

Hispanic

143

11%

267

15%

 

Asian/Pacific Islander

6

<1%

6

<1%

 

Amer. Indian/Alaska Native

0

0%

4

<1%

 

Other

23

2%

7

<1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MODE OF EXPOSURE*

AIDS

HIV

 

Injection Drug Use

170

13%

210

12%

 

Heterosexual Contact

1,123

85%

1,563

88%

 

Other Risk

23

2%

3

0%

In 2007, the estimated proportional breakdown of the female population in Florida was as follows:  63% white, 15% black, 20% Hispanic and 2% other races.  Black women in Florida are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. **

 

Through 2007, a total of 26,303 women were living with HIV/AIDS. ***

5% of these cases were diagnosed among adolescents, ages 13-19.  Currently, women of childbearing age (15-44) account for 59% of all living HIV/AIDS cases among women.

*Cases with no identified risks (NIRs) were redistributed for ALL modes of exposure data.

**2007 Population Estimates, DOH, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Data Analysis

***2007 Living HIV/AIDS data is not available. DOH, Bureau of HIV/AIDS

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United States 2005*

 

As of December 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received reports of 181,769 AIDS cases among women in the United States. In 2005, adult women accounted for 26% of the AIDS cases reported to CDC. 

 

Of those 43 states reporting confidential HIV (not AIDS), adult women accounted for 30% of the HIV cases reported in 2005.

 

According to the 2000 US Census, 75% of the US female population are white, 13% are black, 12% are Hispanic and 5% are other races.  Black and Hispanic women in the United States are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS.

 

 

RACE/ETHNICTY

AIDS

HIV**

 

White

16%

19%

 

Black

63%

60%

 

Hispanic

18%

19%

 

Asian/Pacific Islander

<1%

<1%

 

American Indian/Alaska Native

<1%

<1%

 

**HIV estimates for 43 HIV named-reporting states.

 

 

 

The estimated U.S. incidence rates of AIDS cases per 100,000 population for women in 2005 were:

 

 

AIDS

 

 

White

2.1

 

 

Black

49.9

 

 

Hispanic

12.2

 

 

Asian/Pacific Islander

1.8

 

 

American Indian/Alaska Native

4.4

 

 

TOTAL FEMALES

9.4

 

 

 

 

Of the 181,769 AIDS cases reported in women in the United States, it is estimated 85,844 women have died.

 

CDC HIV/AIDS Surveillance 2005 (Vol. 17)

 *2006 US data is not available