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 HIV/AIDS Deaths Decline In NYC
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 9, 2008 - 1:00 pm ET
(New York City) Deaths in New York City from HIV/AIDS
fell by nearly 15 percent in 2006 the city health department said Wednesday.
In a report on morbidity the city said that along
with HIV/AIDS there also was drop in the number of deaths from diabetes, chronic
lung disease and kidney failure. The only leading killer that increased
significantly was substance use.
Heart disease and cancer remained the city's
biggest killers, claiming 21,844 lives and 13,116 lives, respectively. The
figures come from the latest Annual Summary of Vital Statistics, the definitive
registry of births and deaths in New York City.
HIV/AIDS deaths dropped from 1,419 in 2005 to
1,209 in 2006. The decline was reflected in both sexes and all ethnic
groups.
"Numbers this low have not been seen since
1984, when New York City recorded 952 deaths from AIDS," the health
department report said.
Researchers attribute the continuing decline to
several factors, including a lower infection rate among injecting drug users -
partly due to syringe exchange programs- increased health services for injecting
drug users, a declining population of injecting drug users, expanded HIV testing
and referral to care, and slower disease progression among people receiving
antiretroviral therapy.
Nevertheless, the report said, HIV mortality is
still concentrated among NYC's minority populations, with roughly 34 percent of
HIV deaths occurring among black men and 21 percent among black women. Eleven
percent of HIV deaths occur among white men and 3 percent among white women.
The report also showed that, based on 2005 data,
life expectancy in NYC is growing. Women's life expectancy rose by 2.5
months, reaching a record 81.3 years. Male life expectancy held steady at 75.7
years in 2005, while overall life expectancy increased from 78.6 years to 78.7
years.
"New Yorkers are living longer, healthier
lives," said Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, New York City Heath Commissioner,
"but too many New Yorkers are still dying from preventable causes. The
leading causes of premature death can be prevented by quitting smoking,
controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing risky sex and using condoms
to avoid HIV, and living free of alcohol and drug dependence. We are working
with community groups and health providers to help all New Yorkers achieve
better health."
New HIV diagnoses have recently increased among
young men who have sex with men, but the trend has yet to affect mortality
rates, the report noted.
Last fall the health department released preliminary
data showing that HIV is on the rise among young men who have sex with men,
particularly among young blacks and Hispanics. (story)
New HIV diagnoses among MSM under age 30
increased by 33 percent from 2001 through 2006 - from 374 in 2001 to almost 500
in 2006.
New diagnoses have doubled among MSM ages 13
to19, while declining by 22 percent among older MSM.
The under-30 group now accounts for 44% of all
new diagnoses among MSM in New York City, up from 31% in 2001.
©365Gay.com 2008
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