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Facts about HIV/AIDS
The following facts were provided by the California Department of Public Health
- Injection drug use is the second leading cause of HIV and the leading cause of the Hepatitis C virus in California.
- California data suggests that over 1,500 new syringe-sharing HIV infections occur annually.
- HCV affects approximately 600,000 people, which is 2% of California's population.
- The link between injection drug use and HIV in California is particularly strong for women and people of color.
- Among adult/adolescent women in California, injection drug use-related risk factors account for 35% of cumulative AIDS cases, 46% of AIDS cases among African American women and 55% of AIDS cases among Native American women are associated with injection durg use, compared to 40% of AIDS cases among White Women.
- It is estimated that nearly 12,000 women are currently living with HIV/AIDS in California.
- In 2008, HIV/AIDS was the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25-34, the third leading cause of death for African American women ages 35-44, and the fourth leading cause of death for African American women ages 45-54 and Latinos ages 35-44.
- HCV is regarded as an opportunistic infection in people with HIV infection, although it is not considered an AIDS-defining illness.