Rock Island, IL -
For the first time you can pick a community anywhere in the country and determine the number of HIV cases there. At www.maphiv.org you'll find a visual map of HIV and AIDS cases that have been reported all over the nation. It shows that Rock Island County has higher rates of HIV and AIDS cases then neighboring Scott County.
"People can find valuable info in this format," says Rael Slavensky, Director of Planning and Prevention for the Rock Island County Health Dept.
Slavensky points out that this reporting is not absolute, in part because as many as 1 in 4 people with HIV don't even know they have it. He says there are a couple reasons that Rock Island County stands out in yellow while Scott County shows a lower level of activity with the color green.
"We are a major metro area within Illinois. They are too but again there are differences in the way the states report," says Slavensky.
Rock Island County's proximity to Chicago also helps to concentrate more people in the county with HIV or AIDS.
"We have very good care for people with HIV. And people who don't want to live in Chicago and wait 8 to 12 hours to be seen by a doctor, may do better here and there are people who move here from Chicago to get services," says Slavensky.
Knox county and lee county are the other counties on our viewing area that show slightly higher rates of HIV and aids infections. But Slavensky says what's more important that looking at these statistics, is realizing the trends in new HIV and AIDS cases.
"Women are getting more HIV, younger people are getting more HIV, and older people are getting more HIV than they did before. The other trend is that because people are living with it longer, there are less people with AIDS but more people with HIV who are older, some live into their 60s or 70s now," says Slavensky.
As far as new cases of HIV infections, Scott County discovered more than Rock Island County in 2008. Last year Scott County had 18 new cases of HIV, while Rock Island County had 15 new cases of the disease reported. For a look at the reported numbers go to www.maphiv.org.
"People can find valuable info in this format," says Rael Slavensky, Director of Planning and Prevention for the Rock Island County Health Dept.
Slavensky points out that this reporting is not absolute, in part because as many as 1 in 4 people with HIV don't even know they have it. He says there are a couple reasons that Rock Island County stands out in yellow while Scott County shows a lower level of activity with the color green.
"We are a major metro area within Illinois. They are too but again there are differences in the way the states report," says Slavensky.
Rock Island County's proximity to Chicago also helps to concentrate more people in the county with HIV or AIDS.
"We have very good care for people with HIV. And people who don't want to live in Chicago and wait 8 to 12 hours to be seen by a doctor, may do better here and there are people who move here from Chicago to get services," says Slavensky.
Knox county and lee county are the other counties on our viewing area that show slightly higher rates of HIV and aids infections. But Slavensky says what's more important that looking at these statistics, is realizing the trends in new HIV and AIDS cases.
"Women are getting more HIV, younger people are getting more HIV, and older people are getting more HIV than they did before. The other trend is that because people are living with it longer, there are less people with AIDS but more people with HIV who are older, some live into their 60s or 70s now," says Slavensky.
As far as new cases of HIV infections, Scott County discovered more than Rock Island County in 2008. Last year Scott County had 18 new cases of HIV, while Rock Island County had 15 new cases of the disease reported. For a look at the reported numbers go to www.maphiv.org.
