World Aids Day & The Upstate

By: Carrie Davis | News Channel 7
Published: December 01, 2008

At Piedmont Care, AIDS and HIV cases are an every day ordeal.
According to Tracey Jackson with Piedmont Care, in the Upstate HIV and AIDS infections are an epidemic. She says here's what AIDS looks like in our community.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show more people under age 30 are contracting the disease than any other age group.
72% of the people with HIV or AIDS in South Carolina are African American and people who do not know their HIV status account for more than half of all new HIV infections.
So how are they getting it?
According to Jackson, in our area, the number one way people get the disease in our area is through homosexual sex.
Second through heterosexual sex and third through shared needles.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone ages 13-64 get tested yearly for aids. Jackson says that alone would greatly reduce the spread in our community.

She says, "They say they were afraid to get tested that people in the community because of stigma and discrimination we are still fighting that. More than 25 years into this and we are still fighting the stigma of HIV. People are terrified to talk about it."

She says education is key because while the statistics show an increase in the disease in certain areas HIV and AIDS affects all of us.

According to Jackson, "It is behavior that puts you at risk for HIV it is not who you are what color you are or what ethnicity you are."

According to Jackson, the message should be get tested. She says knowledge is power, because when we know we have it we have a chance at fighting it and a much better chance of winning. Piedmont Care offers free bloodless testing. For more information call 864-582-7773.