The state of Wisconsin suffered an 11 percent increase in AIDS deaths, a 9.5 percent increase in diagnosed AIDS cases and a 4 percent increase in newly reported HIV infections, according to the state HIV/AIDS Surveillance Summary's data from 2000.
Both the AIDS Network and the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin have said this increase is a sign that more funding is needed for HIV/AIDS prevention. In particular, these statistics have led the AIDS Resource Center to request that Lt. Gov. Scott McCallum incorporate a $1.5 million investment in the 2001-'03 state budget for HIV prevention and treatment services for people with HIV/AIDS.
Jim Vergeront of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services said his department has received an annual appropriation from the state Legislature of $4.3 million, and $8.2 million from federal funding for preventing HIV/AIDS and providing services to the diseases' victims.
Robert Power, executive director of the AIDS Network in Madison, said he supports such an investment.
\We have said for many years that preventions have been underfunded,"" Power said.
Vergeront pointed out that more money has been going to the caring and treatment of
HIV/AIDS patients, with funds leveling off for HIV/AIDS prevention.
However, Vergeront cautioned against jumping to conclusions about the recent findings. He said that looking at three years of statistics is more reliable than looking at one.
""Whether [the increase of HIV/AIDS in 2000] is a trend that will continue, we can't tell,"" Vergeront said.
Power said he attributed the recent growth of the epidemic to complacency.
""One of the main factors [in the rise of HIV/AIDS cases] has been a complacency we've seen about HIV in the past several years,"" Power said. ""People were experimenting with limited success with these treatments and what happened, I believe, is some people misinterpreted that success as a cure.""
Power also pointed to the lack of emotional impact of HIV/AIDS education as a reason for complacency about the diseases.
""It's hard to make [preventive education] real,"" he said.
While people might know how HIV/AIDS is contracted, Power said, an important challenge lies in ""translating that knowledge into behavior modification.""
Within the 4 percent increase in newly reported cases of HIV infections, there was a 24 percent increase among women, 35 percent increase for Hispanics, and 7 percent increase among African-Americans.
Vergeront pointed out that methods of prevention depend on the audience being educated. For example, educators might use the church as a means of prevention where it is influential.
Power said he agreed HIV/AIDS education must be tailored to different audiences.
""The AIDS Network's philosophy on prevention is it's important for people of all ages and all types of families to have access to the information we have about AIDS,"" he said.
