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NCHHSTP Health Disparities Report
This
report, "Health Disparities in HIV/AIDS, Viral
Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Tuberculosis in
the US: Issues, Burden and Response," was originally
released on November 21, 2007 and updated on January 8, 2008
with edits made to the tuberculosis section of the report.. Hear
Podcast. |
Despite prevention efforts, some groups of people are affected by
HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, STDs, and TB more than other people. The
occurrence of these diseases at greater levels among certain
population groups than in others is often referred to as a health
disparity. A health disparity is the difference that separates a
group of interest from a reference group for an indicator of health
that is measured in terms of rate, proportion, mean, or some other
quantitative measure. Differences may occur by gender, race or
ethnicity, education or income, disability, geographic location or
sexual orientation. Poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of
education, stigma,and racism are linked to health disparities. CDC
works in collaboration with state health departments to monitor
occurrence of disease and to track disparities in HIV/AIDS, viral
hepatitis, STDs and TB in the United States.
Data reported to CDC demonstrates that some population groups
continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, viral
hepatitis, STDs, and TB. HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases
disproportionately affect men who have sex with men (MSM), blacks
and Hispanics. TB is more prevalent among foreign-born persons and
US-born blacks. Rates of hepatitis B remain highest among
non-Hispanic blacks. Rates of hepatitis C continue to occur in adult
age groups, with injection drug use as the most commonly identified
risk factor for hepatitis C infection.
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