This article appeared in Outlines, The Voice of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Community
on Dec. 22, 1999
Since 1981, 15,738 Chicagoans have been diagnosed with full-blown AIDS
The number of new AIDS cases in Chicago continues to decline, in part because fewer persons with HIV are progressing to the severely immunocompromised state which defines AIDS, according to new Chicago Department of Public Health data.
CDPH reports that there were 901 new AIDS cases reported in the city in 1998, a 16% decline over 1997.
Since 1981, when AIDS cases first started being diagnosed in Chicago, there have been 15,738 people reported to authorities as having AIDS. This does not indicate how many have HIV.
While the rate of new cases may be declining in Chicago overall, it is not declining among certain groups of people, and worldwide the number of people continues to climb, past the 16 million mark.
In 1988, the number of Chicago men vs. women was 93% to 7% diagnosed with AIDS. In 1998 cases, that figure is 78% male, 22% female.
In 1988, Black, non-Hispanic cases of AIDS accounted for 37%, white cases 48%, and Hispanic 14%. In 1998, those numbers are 65% Black, 18% white, and 16% Hispanic.
The last year whites had the highest annual incidence rate was 1989. The rate per 100,000 population for Hispanics exceeds that for whites. Mexicans and Puerto Ricans make up the majority of the Hispanic cases.
Men who have sex with men ( MSM ) made up 71% of 1988 cases, and injection drug users 16%. In 1998, gay cases are 40% of the total of those newly diagnosed diagnosed, and injection drug users are 35% of the total of new cases. Heterosexual contact accounted for 4% of transmissions in 1988, and 11% in 1998.
"By mode of transmission," the CDPH reported, "the distribution over time has shown a decreasing proportion of cases among MSM."
Breaking the numbers down further, of cases 1996-?, reported as of Oct. 1, 1999, the CDPH reports that 48% of the cases in Black men reported ?-? were MSM, 36% injection drug use, and 7% both MSM and injection drug use. Six percent were heterosexual transmission. In the Black female category, 53% were from injection drugs, 36% heterosexual transmission, 10% listed as "other/undetermined."
Among white male 1996– 98 cases, 79% were in the MSM category, 10% injection drugs, 3% MSM and injection drugs. Among women, 76% were injection drugs, 23% heterosexual contact.
Among Hispanic cases reported 1996-?, 53% of the men were listed as MSM, 18% injection drug use, 6% drug use and MSM. Among Hispanic women, 27% were injection drug use cases, 60% heterosexual contact, 13% "other."
In the Hispanic category, the Mexican and Puerto Rican cases broke out quite differently by transmission category. Of the Mexican men, 60% were from same-sex contact, 16% injection drug use, 8% heterosexual ( women 11% injection drugs, 61% heterosexual contact, 28% other/undetermined ) . Among Puerto Rican cases, 25% were MSM, 52% injection drug use, 8% both ( women, 28% injection drugs, 69% heterosexual contact ) .
The mortality of AIDS-related cases peaked with 968 deaths in 1995, and began to fall off sharply in 1996, CDPH reports. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported declines on a national level as well. "Officials cautiously attributed the sudden drops in deaths to new anti-retrovirals, protease inhibitors, combination therapies, and increased prophylaxis for opportunistic diseases," CDPH said. "However, the initially reported gains were tempered by reports of demographic differentials that suggested certain groups were benefitting at greater levels from these new therapies than others.
"Declines were less and experienced later by those segments of the population who tend to be more marginalized with less access to healthcare and the life-saving benefits of new drugs and combinations of therapies. It is thus noted that declines were less for women, people of color, and injection drug users."