Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Doesn't That Make You Sound Dumb!

One night after dinner with 11 Doctoral Students, I heard some alarming figures and percentages for the prevalence of HIV/AIDS on St. Kitts. 

"40% diagnosed/~70% including estimated undiagnosed on SKN" 

Please consider that SKN has a population of ~45,000.
40% of that would be 18,000 persons.
70% of that would be 31,500 persons

Could this be?

I researched and here is what I found.
 
First indicator: Highest % of prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the world is 26.1% in Swaziland
Second indicator: Total % of prevalence of HIV/AIDS for the Caribbean is 1.2%
 
There is no evidence for a generalised or concentrated epidemic in Saint Kitts and
Nevis. The precise extent of the HIV and AIDS epidemic is not known, because the required
(2nd generation) epidemiological surveillance is not implemented, and HIV and AIDS cases
are underreported in the health sector due to stigma. CAREC estimates that the Caribbean
regional epidemic is serious, but may have peaked in 2003. Unlike neighbouring counties, Saint Kitts and Nevis does not experience a ‘generalised epidemic’ (defined as more than 1% of the adult population infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS). There is also no evidence for a ‘concentrated epidemic’, i.e. prevalence of more than 5 % in certain most-at-risk groups, such as sex workers (SW) or men who have sex with men (MSM). One study in 2005 found 2.4% of Basseterre prisoners living with HIV.
---National Advisory Council HIV/AIDS SKN  - UNGASS Country Report 2007:

Total number of HIV diagnoses on SKN  1984-2007  is 280
Annual prevalence in 2006 is ~0.2% (which is considered a stable rate)
 
 
Don't Believe All that you Hear!
 
Think before you Speak!
 
Please pass this along.
B.

Other Sources Checked:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  -  USA
WHO  (World Health Organization)
Pan American Health Organization  (this region's arm of the World Health Organization)
UNAIDS  (Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS)
US Department of State  -  SKN Country information
CIA World Factbook
SKN Ministry of Health
 

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