Riley Croghan CORE 116 Spring 2007

The AIDS Epidemic in Washington, DC Paper Two

ANALYSIS

The Epidemic

I talked to several friends about similar projects, and many of them come from states or cities where there are two distinct epidemics: one among the wealthy white males having sex with males, and another among the poor black community.

A cursory glance at the tables I have included in this project might indicate that something similar is happening in D.C.; however, I believe that this is not the case.

Ward I and II have very high cumulative AIDS rates, both in the 3,000’s. But, as discussed earlier, the rate of the Black community, and even the rate of the African American woman community, has long ago overshadowed the MSM transmissions. If the disease had reached an epidemic proportion in the gay community, it is almost certainly no longer the case. Consider Map Five.

Treatments for AIDS has had a positive impact on the wealthy, White community, but left the poor Black communities largely untouched. All of our focus must be placed on the poorer wards, where the disease continues to grow at an immense rate. On the other hand, a greater emphasis must be placed on educating the wealthier Wards that there is indeed an epidemic afoot.