World AIDS Day is December 1, 2014. This year’s theme is “Focus, Partner, Achieve: An AIDS-free Generation.”

The statistics below, gathered from UNAIDS, point to why it’s important to focus on HIV/AIDS in the context of global health:

In 2012:

– 2.3 million people were newly infected with HIV worldwide
– In some parts of the world (particularly within Sub-Saharan Africa) between 15-28% of the population are living with HIV
– 35.3 million people are currently living with HIV worldwide
– 47% of people living with HIV worldwide are women
– 1.6 million AIDS-related deaths

Here in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that:

– More than 1.1 million people are living with HIV infection, and almost 1 in 6 (15.8%) are unaware of their infection
– Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), particularly young black/African American MSM, are most seriously affected by HIV
– By race, blacks/African Americans face the most severe burden of HIV

To find out how you can get involved in World AIDS Day activities, visit: http://aids.gov/news-and-events/awareness-days/world-aids-day/

To learn more about CBAM’s research addressing HIV in Los Angeles, visit: http://www.uclacbam.org/research/active-studies/

 

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CBAM is a multidisciplinary center that seeks to advance the prevention and treatment of chronic illnesses, especially in communities with health disparities. As part of the UCLA Department of Family Medicine, CBAM works at the intersection of academia and community with a focus on treating addictions and preventing the spread of HIV.

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