AIDS in the 21st century—is it still a scourge, a pestilence and one of the world's deadliest viruses?
While physicians, health researchers and social organizations entrusted with caring for those with HIV/AIDS would certainly say yes, those who can shape public opinion and access sorely needed dollars for treatment and research seem to have turned a deaf ear to cries for help. Perhaps that is why the Center for The Study of Race & Bioethics, DePaul University College of Law, recently hosted its first AIDS Breakfast Colloquium, held at, and sponsored by, Northern Trust Bank, 50 S. LaSalle.
The theme for the program was Confronting the AIDS Crisis in Chicago: People of Color at Risk. Under the guidance of The Center's Director, Professor Michele Goodwin, the conference offered an opportunity for Chicago agencies that provide services for HIV/AIDS patients of color to inform religious leaders and city officials about their organizations and the current plight of thousands of city residents.
In many ways, it was a call to arms.
'Recent statistics from Chicago's public health authorities suggest that people of color represent the fastest growing population of those affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),' said Goodwin in her letter to the conference attendees. 'African-Americans' rate of infection nationwide for all age groups is five times higher than that of whites.'
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Thomas Thompson, recently reported that AIDS is the leading killer of African-American women between the ages of 25 and 34, and Black men between the ages of 35 and 44. In Illinois, 48 percent of newly reported cases are African-Americans and the Latino rate of infection is twice that of whites, as they accounted for 12 percent of al the new reported cases. The need for communication about AIDS and its affect on communities of color seems more apparent than ever before.
'The Center for The Study of Race and Bioethics is committed to exploring new ways to meet the needs and challenges that are defined by this epidemic,' Goodwin said. 'Today's program is designed to break the silence too often associated with the disease by bringing together clergy, policy makers, public health officials, activists, students and scholars to discuss this problem.'
Glen Weissenberger, Dean of DePaul's Law School, agreed with Goodwin. 'This is law in action,' he said, referring to the conference. 'Given this crisis, we believe it is crucial to make the service rendered by our faculty, staff and students, relevant and meaningful for our community.'
In the first roundtable discussion, program leaders from five city agencies addressed the topic of AIDS in the 21st Century and noted its impact on people of color and youth. Speakers included: Maurice Chapman, AIDS program director, Cook County Westside Health Center, who addressed church and community responses to HIV/AIDS; Dr. Rob Garofalo, director of youth services, Howard Brown Health Center, and director, Adolescent HIV Services, Children's Memorial Hospital, whose remarks addressed children and adolescents affected by HIV/AIDS (either thay have it or their parents do); Martin Gonzalez-Rojas, manager of Prevention Programs, CALOR, who addressed Latina and Gay Men HIV prevention initiatives; Dr. Jing Zhang, director Community Health, Asian Human Services Inc., who discussed Asian Americans with HIV/AIDS; and Grisel Robles, policy advocate, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, who shared information about The Beyond Latex Microbicides Project and other prevention efforts.
'There are so many barriers to getting African Americans to even getting tested and if necessary, treated,' Chapman said. 'One is what I call the AIDS phobia—a fear of being outed and ostracized. We are finding that a larger percentage—close to 80 percent—of our clients had past or have current problems with alcohol and drug abuse. Many still feel personal shame, particularly those who are homosexual. Then, our people are reluctant about seeking healthcare except in extreme emergencies because of our justified doubts about the medical community's concern for us. Ignorance, and competing interests are additional barriers that must be overcome.' Chapman noted the sense of nihilism that has overtaken a large number of Black youth. 'So many youth that I come in contact, say 'I'm going to die young anyway, so what difference does it make,'' he said. 'They aren't worrying about AIDS because they don't believe they'll live long enough for it to matter if they're positive or not. A lot of them have already planned their own funerals, including the music they want played.'
Garofalo noted that in the battle against AIDS as it relates to U.S. funding, adolescents and youth are getting 'the short end of the stick—especially those of color.'
'Among the 45,000 new infections last year in the U.S., individuals 25 and under represented half of the cases,' he said. 'It's clear that youth, and those of color in particular, make up a disproportionate number of the new cases. And in those young adults, 16 to 19, 60 percent of the new cases are women.'
But are youth of color more at-risk than their white counterparts? Again Garofolo points to numbers provided by the CDC's Young Men's Survey for MSM's [men who have sex with men].
'For the survey, young men 14-24 years of age were tested for the AIDS virus—14 percent tested positive and had no idea of their status,' he said. 'The situation is more grave when one considers that one-quarter to one-fifth of young people 18- to 20-years-old have no access to healthcare. In Chicago, there's a paucity of adolescent-specialized programs that address the unique development and psychosocial struggles of adolescents. We need a moral obligation to provide services to youth color.'
Garofolo added that Chicago Black youth, particularly on the South Side, need services in their communities, where they have unique needs and a higher risk factor than other city youth.
Rojas is employed by CALOR, a HIV/AIDS prevention and care agency that was started 11 years ago targeting Latino men. He said one of the problems facing his community how Latinos tend to be stereotyped.
'We don't all come from one country, which means we have different cultures,' he said. 'Some of us come from the Caribbean and North, South and Central America. And we don't all speak Spanish. Portuguese and French are also native tongues for some of us. CALOR focuses on Spanish-speaking men because for many of our clients, language remains the No. 1 barrier. I find that other agencies often fail to have the kind of sensitivity to our culture that is so important just to get people to come in, get tested and then remain, if necessary, for services.' Rojas added that with the newest census figures that indicate Latinos as the largest U.S. minority, more programs will need to be developed that speak to their unique needs and way-of-life.
Zhang referred to three major barriers that affect the Asian community: stigma, silence and access to quality healthcare.
'In the Asian community, talking about STD's is taboo, but some changes are occurring,' she said. 'The image that we use for our community health programs is the Banyan tree—which in Asian culture represents shelter. It's also the name of our collective HIV services. One challenge we face in our community is the limited information about the HIV status of Asians and Asian Americans. In the U.S. we are often referred to as 'other,' but in some countries we are the majority and in some of those places AIDS has reached epidemic proportions.'
Zhang admits that when compared to Blacks and Latinos, Asian Americans make comprise a much smaller percentage of those with HIV/AIDS [One percent with AIDS and three percent HIV+].
See BLACKlines April issue for more conference coverage. Available March 26.
