2008 Woodie Awards
AIDS Increases in Essex
World AIDS Day Remembers Prevention and Awareness
Cherilyn Sajorda
Issue date: 12/2/04 Section: Feature
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A staggering number and it's up 3.5 percent from last year. Out of an estimated 8.6 million people living in the state of New Jersey, 46,664 suffer from the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Essex county reports the highest number of AIDS cases over any other county with nearly 14,000 counts, according to New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services' annual AIDS/HIV Report.
Yesterday marked World AIDS Day, where the Montclair State University campus made note of it through information seminars held by organizations, lectures by professors,safer sex kits, and free HIV tests provided by the Health and Wellness Center.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the known cause of the AIDS virus is one of the biggest health crises in the world. Research suggests HIV originated from a particular species of chimpanzee and crossed over through blood contact that occurred during the hunting of the animals, according to AIDS.org. The virus has existed in the United States, Haiti and Africa since at least the late 70's. It can be contracted from one infected person to another through blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk.
The statistics speak for themselves. In New Jersey, minorities account for 75 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases. Women account for 35 percent of the population living with the virus. Four out of every five of those females are minorities - three out of four are between the ages of 20 to 49.
The best thing to do, suggests AIDS.org is to get tested regularly. If you missed the opportunity to schedule an appointment at the Health and Wellness Center this week, you can visit a testing center nearby (The Specialized Testing Associated Physicians Group is located on Claremont Avenue in Montclair and offers confidential HIV testing services).
Your privacy is always respected - you have the option of taking the test either confidentially or anonymously. An anonymous test means your name is never recorded at the test site and no one will ever have access to your results. Confidential testing may mean identifying yourself to the test site, with their assurance that this information will remain private.
Yesterday marked World AIDS Day, where the Montclair State University campus made note of it through information seminars held by organizations, lectures by professors,safer sex kits, and free HIV tests provided by the Health and Wellness Center.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the known cause of the AIDS virus is one of the biggest health crises in the world. Research suggests HIV originated from a particular species of chimpanzee and crossed over through blood contact that occurred during the hunting of the animals, according to AIDS.org. The virus has existed in the United States, Haiti and Africa since at least the late 70's. It can be contracted from one infected person to another through blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk.
The statistics speak for themselves. In New Jersey, minorities account for 75 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases. Women account for 35 percent of the population living with the virus. Four out of every five of those females are minorities - three out of four are between the ages of 20 to 49.
The best thing to do, suggests AIDS.org is to get tested regularly. If you missed the opportunity to schedule an appointment at the Health and Wellness Center this week, you can visit a testing center nearby (The Specialized Testing Associated Physicians Group is located on Claremont Avenue in Montclair and offers confidential HIV testing services).
Your privacy is always respected - you have the option of taking the test either confidentially or anonymously. An anonymous test means your name is never recorded at the test site and no one will ever have access to your results. Confidential testing may mean identifying yourself to the test site, with their assurance that this information will remain private.