10 US States With The Highest HIV-Reated Deaths

In the 1980s and 1990s, HIV and AIDS had suddenly risen from oblivion to become the an alarming cause of death across the entire globe. However, the rate of infection began to experience a steady decline, particularly in the United States, after the public got more information about the disease and ways of protection from infection. Despite the increased sensitization programs in recent years, Americans are still dying of HIV/AIDS. The recent data from Statista established the states in the US where AIDS-related deaths are still higher than the national average. The states of Louisiana and Florida had the largest number of AIDS-related deaths of any state in the US.

HIV-Related Deaths In Louisiana

The AIDS pandemic has been wrecking havoc in the state of Louisiana for many years now. According to the data from Statista, the state of Louisiana recorded 4.5 HIV-related deaths per 100,000 persons, the second highest in the country as well as the second largest AIDS rates in the country. The Department of Health and Hospitals recorded 1,108 HIV cases in Caddo Parish alone. The pandemic has worst hit the state's capital of New Orleans with the city accounting for 33% of all new HIV diagnosis in the state of Louisiana. However, the city of Baton Rouge was established as having the highest number of HIV cases in any large metropolitan area in Louisiana with New Orleans following at second place. Despite having only 12% of the state population, the African-American population of Louisiana has the highest rate of HIV infection in the state making up for about 45% of HIV cases in Louisiana. One major hurdle in combating the spread of HIV in Louisiana is the high cost of suppressive medication with HIV-positive individuals in Louisiana who lack health insurance are burdened by the exorbitant cost of HIV-suppressive medication which cost $3,000 per month on average.

High Rates Of HIV In Florida

Florida has been ravaged by the AIDS pandemic since the late 20th century leading to many deaths. Statista put the number of AIDS-related deaths in Florida per 100,000 persons at 3.9 deaths, one of the highest in the country. According to AIDSVu, the total number of people living with the AIDS virus in 2014 was 103,696 people with the vast majority of them being male (71% being male and 29% being female). Florida’s African-American residents were most affected by the AIDS pandemic with 47% of the people living with AIDS in Florida being African-American and 22% of them being Hispanic. The number of AIDS-related deaths in Florida in 2014 was 1,916. The homosexual population of the state was at significant risk of contracting HIV with data from AIDSVu showing that homosexual males were the leading groups with new HIV cases in the state of Florida accounting for 77.8% of all new HIV cases.

HIV Prevention And Treatment Funding

The United States Federal government has in recent years made strides in its funding on HIV prevention and treatment all over the country through Medicare and Medicaid. The state of Florida, for example, spent a record $34 million on HIV prevention in 2016.