Number of HIV-Infected U.S. Infants Down Dramatically, but Less So Among Minorities

The number of U.S. children born with HIV/AIDS has declined markedly since the mid-1990s in all demographic groups, according to the latest edition of HRSA's Women's Health USA.

From 1994 to 2005, the number of non-Hispanic black infants born with HIV/AIDS has declined by 65.6 percent. The drop among non-Hispanic white infants born with HIV/AIDS was more than 80 percent during the same time, while the decline among Hispanic infants born with HIV/AIDS was 40.6 percent.

Women's Health USA 2007 -- the sixth annual report on the health status and service needs of America 's women -- focuses on emerging issues and trends among women across the lifespan.

Other findings of Women's Health USA 2007 include:

• Up to 16 percent of women, usually beginning before age 25, are at risk for the gynecological disorder -- vulvodynia. Hispanic women may be at greater risk for this disorder.
  
  
• Early prenatal care among racial and ethnic groups with historically low rates of utilization, including non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native women, has increased by at least 20 percent since 1990.
  
  
• In 2004, 23.9 percent of women had untreated dental caries, with non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women most likely to have untreated caries.
  
  
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• Serious psychological distress occurs in almost 23 percent of women aged 18 to 25 years, compared to 9 percent of women over age 50.
  
  
• In 2005, 72.9 percent of mothers ever breastfed their infants, with Asian/Pacific Islanders most likely to breastfeed their infants (81.4 percent).
  
  
• In 2005, 71.8 percent of women aged 18 to 64 had private insurance, 14.6 had public insurance, and 17.8 percent were uninsured.

Women's Health USA 2007 is an easy-to-read snapshot of the most current women's health data available and include graphs and summaries of long-term trends. This publication is available on-line at Women's Health USA 2007.