HIV/AIDS in Maryland: A Comprehensive Overview

The assignment content discusses the role of Maryland in responding to HIV/AIDS, with a focus on the state's high prevalence of HIV diagnosis, particularly among women. The text highlights the importance of awareness, education, and testing to combat the spread of HIV, as well as the need for targeted interventions to address the unique needs of marginalized populations, such as African American women and young people.

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Introduction
Maryland is Mid Atlantic region state in the United States of America which is
defined by its coastlines and waterways which are abundantly spread. Its largest city is
Baltimore and has capital named Annapolis.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a kind of virus that directly attacks the
immunity of a person and weakens his body defence mechanism (T cells specially) reducing
his body’s ability of fighting against diseases and infections thus leading to causing AIDS
(Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). During the year 2015, Maryland held 5th rank
among the all US states in HIV diagnosis. This report holds an aim of describing and defining
role of Maryland in response of HIV , in regard of achieving the 2020 goal of fighting with
HIV (Rao, 2017). There were about 1200 new HIV diagnosis in Maryland in the year 2016
out of 40,000 (approx) in the whole US. But because of increased awareness and an aim to
defeat this life taking disease ( in case of not taking care of the patient carefully).
Slowly and steadily, its no more being a hindrance for living a normal life to the
patients. Also, because of the technological advancement, it has become easier to enjoy the
life and make the circumstances normal to live a better life. The medical science has made so
much advancement that only one pill a day is required for keeping the body away from the
virus and curing the disease. So many people and even doctors are working day and night to
spread awareness and zeal in the patients and also those who have the chances to get into this
disease later in life. Because of the hard work of the doctors and scientists, and NGO’s the
decline in the death rate of HIV patients has risen up to 88%.

Around one in every seven people in the USA who are HIV positive have no clue
about their disease. Also, those who get infected by HIV have a high percentage of Gay men
and Bisexual men, and some high percentage of African Americans is also on the list. Even
two third of transgender people in America have never gone for testing of HIV.
HIV transmits a high risk of cardiovascular disease in the human body. And pressure
the immune system of the person infected with towards the down direction. In Maryland, the
government has aimed for 90-90-90 target, by the year 2020 which aims that 90% of people
infected would be knowing about their disease (awareness for the disease), 90% of those
infected would be taking proper medication and going through good care, and 90% of those
taking medication would be get cured by the medication.
PrEP (i.e pre-exposure prophylaxis) is known as a powerful tool for the prevention and
protection from HIV which can reduce the risk of HIV by as high as 92%.
Women infected with HIV in Maryland
The capital region of Maryland known as Baltimore witnesses the data of HIV which
accounts that the American African women are times more infectious than other women
Darlington, 2017). This gender from Africa had faced tortured for centuries in America
which might be a reason for the higher percentage of African American women being
infected with HIV in comparison with other women. But the data percentage is higher for
black men and gay. This has become a very serious health issue in Baltimore and there is an
urgent need for the concerned authorities to take care of and handle the percentage with
immediate effects.
Higher risk in Young People

The risk of HIV holds a higher percentage among the young generation in Maryland.
Also, the current situation prevailing in Maryland is a mirror image of what is happening in
the whole country, and if the authorities who are concerned for HIV (whether it is healthcare
sector or NGO’s) will not take care of it soon the situation may become worse and
unmanageable and the consequences may become tragic. The more infected people have a
long list of Black men, who face poverty, low esteem, no family support and also a poor
health care system where they don’t get proper treatment.
The main victims of HIV are heterosexual women who are tackling lack of care, no
financial support, least access to medical aid because of their black color and African
connection. In Baltimore, the department of health conducts free HIV testing and other
awareness events for the age group of 13 to 64 on the national HIV testing day. The state of
Baltimore, with the help of government officials, conducts the programs in churches where
they encourage and educate the youth about HIV and protection. Even the schools in
Baltimore have included this topic in their curriculum to promote awareness among children
and parents both (Baeten, 2016). The health department of a country has even promoted
testing for HIV with the help of Fresh Start church on the occasion of World Aids Day.
How women are more affected
The women in Maryland account to more than half of the infected population with
HIV. The women in their teens are more likely of being infected than men of the same age.
Because of the non equal status, dispirited culture and low economic status, women have
more chances for the HIV infection. Also, the unlikely attitude towards the sex outside
marriage, and restricted mindset against women restrain them from providing proper medical
facilities for HIV. The concerned authorities are doing much in case of transmission from

mother to child, but much more is inclined to be done as the ratio of gender inequality which
has been faced by women and girls.
In many parts of Maryland, even today young people don’t have much awareness
about the HIV, women, in turn, possess the higher degree of risk at getting infected.
Maryland has been ranked 5th in all the united states. 14% of the people who had HIV were
not even tested for the same. There are more than 19000 people only in a capital state of
Maryland, who are infected with HIV.
Conclusion
The area of Maryland has a high rate of HIV and AIDS prevalence especially in the
women. There have been instances where the women have been infected due to the
unavoidable circumstances such as the injecting contaminated HIV needles or through the
blood transfusion. It is important to impart knowledge and guide the women through the
education and training them. There needs to be a proper control over the issue. The more
infected people have a long list of Black men, who face poverty, low esteem, no family
support and also a poor health care system where they don’t get proper treatment. Awareness
is the key and also in building as there are more infected people have a long list of black men,
who face poverty, low esteem, no family support and also a poor health care system where
they don’t get proper treatment. It is also important that the women take self stand and ensure
a protection measure, that would allow to bring out the better results in controlling and
creating awareness. Women are more vulnerable and subjective of such issues, as the issues
of dealing such problems manifest into the compromises and dealing with the unethical
approaches. This gender from Africa had faced tortured for centuries in America which might
be a reason for higher percentage of African American women being infected with HIV in

comparison with other women There are also a need to match with the requisite standards,
that can allow to control the matter to match with proper aiding and controlling the issue.

References
Baeten, J. M., Palanee-Phillips, T., Brown, E. R., Schwartz, K., Soto-Torres, L. E., Govender,
V., ... & Siva, S. (2016). Use of a vaginal ring containing dapivirine for HIV-1 prevention in
women. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(22), 2121-2132.
Brantley, M. L., Footer, K. H., Lim, S., Kerrigan, D., & Sherman, S. G. (2017). Experiences
of structural vulnerability among exotic dancers in Baltimore, Maryland: Co-occurring social
and economic antecedents of HIV/STI risk. International Journal of Drug Policy, 50, 74-81.
Darlington, C. K., & Hutson, S. P. (2017). Understanding HIV-related stigma among women
in the Southern United States: a literature review. AIDS and Behavior, 21(1), 12-26.
Rao, A., Tobin, K., Davey-Rothwell, M., & Latkin, C. A. (2017). Social Desirability Bias and
Prevalence of Sexual HIV Risk Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs in Baltimore,
Maryland: Implications for Identifying Individuals Prone to Underreporting Sexual Risk
Behaviors. AIDS and Behavior, 21(7), 2207-2214.