Contents
Chapters
- The Invisible Epidemic
- How Young People Become Infected
- Why So Vulnerable?
- Addressing the Epidemic
- Reaching Out
- Consequences of Inaction
- HIV/AIDS: What Young People Want to Know
- Profiles
- Youth at the Center
Highlights
- Why young women face more risk
- Culture can hurt
- Profile: Going public
- Education should start early
- Condoms for dual protection
- Orphans: A new challenge
- What can parents do?
- Reaching street children
- Putting youth at the center
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Published by the Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA.
Volume XXIX, Number 3
Fall 2001
Series L, Number 12
Issues in World Health
The Invisible Epidemic
AIDS—acquired immunodeficiency syndrome—was recognized as a global crisis by the mid-1980s (213). In 1986 the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that there were 100,000 AIDS cases worldwide and from 5 to 10 million cases of infection with HIV—the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. Researchers projected that the annual number of deaths due to AIDS would peak in 2006 at 1.7 million (268). Instead, 3 million AIDS deaths were reported for 2001 alone (432).
An estimated total of over 22 million people have already died of AIDS (172). Worse yet, more than 40 million people are living with HIV (432). Thus the number of people now living who will die of AIDS exceeds the number who have already died. The crisis has become a catastrophe.
HIV/AIDS is the fourth largest cause of death globally and the leading cause of death in Africa (413). Despite its widespread reach, the epidemic is still in its early stages. Public health officials estimate that the illnesses and deaths to date represent only 10% of the eventual impact (287, 406). Researchers project that by 2010 HIV/AIDS will reduce average life expectancy in some southern African countries to around 30 years (338).
 | |||
"Stop, listen and learn |
"We must involve young people living with HIV/AIDS in the struggle against the epidemic. They, after all, know best what it means to live with AIDS." | ||
Estimated Numbers of Women | |||
| Region | Young Women |
Young Men |
Young People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa, sub-Saharan | 5,700,000 | 2,800,000 | 8,600,000 |
| East Asia & Pacific | 87,000 | 200,000 | 2800,000 |
| South & South-East Asia | 930,000 | 590,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Latin America | 170,000 | 260,000 | 420,000 |
| Caribbean | 72,000 | 59,000 | 130,000 |
| North Africa & Near East | 110,000 | 41,000 | 150,000 |
| Eastern Europe & Central Asia | 85,000 | 340,000 | 420,000 |
| North America | 47,000 | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| Western Europe | 33,000 | 55,000 | 89,000 |
| TOTAL | 7,300,000 | 4,500,000 | 11,800,000 |
Note: Figures are rounded | |||
