Rural areas in Southeast see spike in HIV cases

Rural ares in the Southeast have become one of the fasting growing areas of cases of HIV in the U.S. "As groups gathered recently across the country to recognize National HIV/AIDS Day, new cases were popping up with little fanfare in Georgia and South Carolina," writes Ray Chandler of the Independent Mail in Anderson, S.C. "Cases in these mostly-rural areas are growing faster than anywhere else in the country, experts say."

These experts blame the increase on the lack of resources for prevention and treatment. State health and human resource departments are developing plans to slow the spread of the virus. “In the rural areas, in particular, we have tried to initiate more opportunities for rapid HIV testing so that people can know their status,” adds Raphael Holloway, HIV director for the Georgia Department of Human Resources. “But also what we’re trying to do is ensure that people receive the prevention counseling that comes along with the rapid testing. The biggest way to have an impact with people is going to be to promote behavior change." (Read more)