Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 51 925 785 at 1.51pm on Wednesday May 7 2003.
People with HIV living in poorer areas of San Francisco are more likely to progress to Aids than those living in wealthier districts, according to a recent study.
But the study also found no difference in survival rates regardless of wealth and social status among patients with access to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (Haart).
Investigators at the San Francisco Public Health Department and Johns Hopkins University recorded the address every patient known to have died of an HIV-related cause before the availability of Haart in 1996, and from 1996 to the end of 2001.
They then divided San Francisco into 22 districts according to average household income and found no difference in survival rates between richer and poorer patients before the widespread availability of Haart. After 1996 the survival of patients receiving Haart was identical, regardless of social and economic status. This suggests that access to effective anti-HIV therapy is the key to survival.
Source: www.aidsmap.com