AIDS Programs for African Americans in Hartford Face Funding Instability

As of June 30, 2008, Connecticut has 212 reported cases of AIDS this year:
    Male: 143
    Female: 69
    Black: 85 (40% of all cases)
    Latino: 69 (33%)
    White: 53 (25%)
    Other: 5 (2%)

As of June 30, 2008, Connecticut has 192 reported cases of HIV this year:
    Male: 138
    Female: 54
    Black: 63 (33% of total)
    Latino: 55 (29%)
    White: 73 (38%)
    Other: 1 (<1%)

Connecticut had 216 deaths from HIV or AIDS in 2007. This number excludes out-of-state deaths as well as deaths that were caused by HIV/AIDS but were not listed as such on official records (e.g, death certificates).

source: Connecticut Dept. of Public Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance Program

Story Location

Hartford, CT

United States

See map: Google Maps

Updated 5 August 2008

In Hartford, Conn., African Americans have five times more reported AIDS cases than whites do.

Yet funding for HIV/AIDS programs in north Hartford, where many of the city's African Americans live, face funding uncertainty, particularly for education and testing.

Decreased funding, in addition to competitive grants, are contributing to the dwindling HIV/AIDS programs, reported Tina A. Brown in a story for the Hartford Courant on August 1, 2008.

The state's Department of Public Health (CDPH) eliminated $395,000 for programs in Hartford and New Haven for fiscal year 2009. The affected programs provide for dental treatment, outpatient care, housing and food for persons who have HIV or AIDS, according to Brown.

Hartford leads Connecticut's nearly 170 municipalities in HIV or AIDS cases - having 17 and 21 percent of the state's reported HIV and AIDS cases, respectively.

New Haven has Connecticut's third- and second-highest rates for reported HIV and AIDS cases, at 12 and 17 percent, respectively.

Bridgeport comes in seond and third, at 13 and 11 percent for HIV and AIDS, respectively.

Medications can extend life for some persons with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) or AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, no cure exists for HIV infection or AIDS.

Stark Disparities

Latinos and African Americans share a heavy burden of the AIDS cases in Hartford, compared to whites, according to CDPH data.

Every year since 2000, Latinos have had the highest percentage of all reported AIDS cases in Hartford.

African Americans have had the second-highest percentage annually except for 2001, when whites accounted for 32.5 percent of the city's reported AIDS cases; blacks, 22 percent.

The discrepancy in AIDS cases among the races is not subtle.  Every year since 2002, Latinos' share of all reported AIDS cases in Hartford has been at least two — and sometimes four or five — times greater than for whites.

As of June 30, 2008, Latinos' reported AIDS cases in Hartford is six times higher than for whites.

African Americans in Hartford have fared somewhat better, compared to Latinos.  Between 2003 and 2006, their annual reported AIDS cases have been less than triple the rate for whites.

However, the discrepancy has worsened since 20006.  In 2007, African Americans in Hartford had 4.6 times more AIDS cases than whites did; as of June 30, 2008, five times more.

According to the Courant's Tina A. Brown, health workers and activists see HIV/AIDS programs expanding in Hartford's Latino community because of its "stronger infrastructure of community-based organizations vying for the funding."

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Help May Be a Phone Call or Internet Click Away:

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS IN CONNECTICUT: ct.gov/dph.

HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING CENTERS IN CONNECTICUT — BY COUNTY: ct.gov/dph.

PROVIDERS OF HIV/AIDS SERVICES IN CONNECTICUT — BY METROPOLITAN AREA: ct.gov/dph.

Connecticut residents who are HIV-positive or have AIDS can call 1-860-509-7806 for information on services such as medical, dental and mental healthcare; nutrition; housing; and transportation.

Hartford residents can call the city's HIV Program at 1-860-543-8822. The program offers free confidential testing, conducted at community centers, homeless shelters and other sites. Staff are bilingual in Spanish and English.

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