More about HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS isn't just a threat in developing countries. HIV/AIDS is a very real issue worldwide. Here are some facts about HIV/AIDS in Peel, Ontario and Canada, HIV and women and HIV globally.
HIV in Peel and Ontario
- In Peel, males aged 30 to 39 years have the highest incidence rate of HIV. Second highest incidence rates are among males aged 40 to 49 years. (Source: State of the Region’s Health 2007 – Focus HIV/AIDS)
- Between 1997 and 2006, there were 124 cases of AIDS and 446 HIV infections reported among males and females in Peel. (Source: State of the Region’s Health 2007 – Focus HIV/AIDS)
- In 2006, there were 4.6 new cases of HIV per 100,000 people living in Peel. (Source: State of the Region’s Health 2007 – Focus HIV/AIDS)
- Between 1985 and 2004, there have been over 26,000 people in Ontario diagnosed with HIV infection. Source: Report on HIV/AIDS in Ontario, 2004
- There are over 24,000 people in Ontario living with HIV. (Source: Report on HIV/AIDS in Ontario, 2004)
- In 2005, approximately 58,000 people in Canada were living with AIDS and 27% (or 15,000) didn’t even know they were infected. (Source: Public Health Agency of Canada)
For more information about HIV/AIDS in Peel, check out the State of the Region’s Health 2007- Focus HIV/AIDS report.
HIV and Women
- Sexually active women aged 15 to 24 years are at particular risk of sexually transmitted infections like HIV because the cells of their cervix are still maturing, making them more vulnerable to infection.
- Of the 2,529 new HIV cases in Ontario reported in 2004, 26.6% (or 657) were women. (Source: Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Women represent an increasing proportion of reported cases in Canada. In fact, by 2005, women accounted for 25% of positive HIV tests reported. (Source: Public Health Agency of Canada)
- In 2005, 64.6% of the positive HIV test reports among adult women in Canada were for women between the ages of 15 to 39 years. (Source: Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Women make up almost 50% of all people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
- Globally, women are also 2.5 times more likely to become infected with HIV than males.
- Gender inequalities such as inability to negotiate safer sex, lack of access to treatment options, and not having equal rights as men, including access to employment and education, increases women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. [Source: UNAIDS].
HIV Globally
- Youth aged 15-29 are at an increased risk of becoming infected with HIV.
It is estimated in 2007 that: - There were over 33.2 million people worldwide living with HIV
2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV - 2.1 million people worldwide lost their lives to AIDS
- Over 330,000 children under the age of 15 died of AIDS
- Over 1.7 million adults died of AIDS
Source: UNAIDS
