Unequal Care Slashes AIDS Survival
Despite the advent of ever-more-powerful multi-drug therapy, the racial gap between AIDS survivors is widening -- and don’t assume that sexual risk-taking and socioeconomic class are the main reasons. Nor is the gap something biologically innate. Black people with AIDS are more likely to die than any other racial or ethnic group because they’re less likely to get antiretroviral therapy, be diagnosed early, or have private health insurance. University of California, San Francisco researchers report their findings in the Journal of Healthcare for the Poor and Underserved.
The study took place in San Francisco, which has a strong AIDS outreach network. That means the survival gap may be much worse in other cities around the country.
For background information and an audio interview with one of the study authors, go to Kaiser Family Foundation. The medical system urgently needs to address growing disparities in treatment, says study co-author WILLI McFARLAND, pointing out, "We have the tools."