Newsday Continues 20th Anniversary Coverage, Profiles Spread of HIV on Long Island, New Yorkers’ Response to Epidemic

In its continuing coverage of the 20th anniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS, Newsday today features five articles examining different aspects of the epidemic. The headlines and brief summaries of each of the articles appear below:

• "A Shift on Long Island": In the second of three articles, Newsday examines the changing face of AIDS on Long Island, which in 1992 was the first suburban area to qualify for Ryan White CARE Act funds. Today, the virus is primarily infecting minorities and women, a "development that follows national trends." However, the trend is "more pronounced" on Long Island, with women accounting for 28% of new HIV cases from 1997 to 1999, compared to 22% nationally (Rabin, Newsday, 5/30).
• "New Class of Victims In AIDS Evolution": According to New York City health statistics, HIV is increasingly affecting women and gay men of color, which has "caused considerable debate over who is best suited to care for the victims of this second wave of the epidemic." The shift in populations "has fueled charges by minority-based AIDS service providers that they should receive a greater share of local and federal funding," causing activists to pressure governments to allocate more money to groups that cater to racial and ethnic minorities (Taylor, Newsday, 5/30).
• "Fight for Cure, Understanding": Newsday traces the history of several New York AIDS activist groups, such as ACT UP and Gay Men's Health Crisis. From the beginning of the epidemic, activists have played a critical role in gaining better access to treatment, improving social services and playing a role in public policy (Taylor, Newsday, 5/30).
• "An Angry Voice on Front Lines": Larry Kramer, a Tony-award winning playwright and AIDS activist, speaks to Newsday about the 20 years of the epidemic. Among other accomplishments, Kramer is well-known for playing a central role in the creation of Gay Men's Health Crisis (Garrett/Taylor, Newsday, 5/30).
• "Virus Saps Economic Strength, Too": International AIDS experts, including World Health Organization Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland, discuss the economic impact of AIDS around the world, especially in developing countries. From 30% to 40% decreases in several African countries' gross domestic products to violent wars in Central Africa, AIDS is affecting developing countries in more ways than one (Garrett, Newsday, 5/30).