[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

Really?

It couldn't the huge influx of Haitian and other immigrants down in South Florida now could it? Those immigrants have moved around the state.

Ignorance abounds.

If you're blaming this solely on immigrants, then yes, ignorance does abound.

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

Minorities and immigrants are known to have higher Aids/HIV cases and that has more to do with their socio economic status & lack of access to healthcare.

This is true and can also be said for NY in addition to Miami.

However, Mike, if you look at the list, you have 12 out of 25 areas that are deep bible belt southern areas, and that doesn't include Texas, which it probably should. That's 48% of the list.

2 Baton Rouge, LA 30.6 4,565
3 Jacksonville, FL 29.1 7,292
6 Columbia, SC 23.5 3,949
7 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 23.3 6,018
9 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 23 9,941
11 Jackson, MS 22.2 2,881
13 Lakeland, FL 18.9 2,210
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 18.7 27,313
18 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC 15.7 4,123
20 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 14.4 2,423
21 Raleigh-Cary, NC 14.3 2,632
22 Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN 13.7 4,570

This is not a debate here, this is the simple fact that these bible belt towns need to not consider sex education taboo. The health of our children depends on it.

[StreetSmarts]

Coconut,

These cities (Jacksonville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Baton Rouge, Memphis)... all have something in common. I have friends of all races, but many of my friends had kids a lot earlier than others. And they're not married and have kids by different women. And you're right, a lot of it is that they're uneducated about it.

[user8]

whoa! the 4th most populated state (and one with a large # of immigrants) has an alarmingly high number of reported cases of AIDS? no way!

[Kevin from Tampa]

Lots of Haitians moving to Florida. Some of this is relative to metro size. Tampa/St Pete is around the 16th biggest metro in the country....makes sense that it would have the 16th most AIDS cases....

but yeah....Haitians...

[MiamiRob]

I think the CDC dropped Haitians off their list of HIV groups a long time ago.

[FlyMIA]

For Miami the big problem is the Haitian immigrants. They are coming from the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. AIDs rates are very high in Haiti. That is pretty much the main reason. Just like I am sure there are many places in Southern Europe with high Aids rates due to the immigration from Africa.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

If you're blaming this solely on immigrants, then yes, ignorance does abound.

This is true and can also be said for NY in addition to Miami.

However, Mike, if you look at the list, you have 12 out of 25 areas that are deep bible belt southern areas, and that doesn't include Texas, which it probably should. That's 48% of the list.

2 Baton Rouge, LA 30.6 4,565
3 Jacksonville, FL 29.1 7,292
6 Columbia, SC 23.5 3,949
7 Memphis, TN-MS-AR 23.3 6,018
9 New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 23 9,941
11 Jackson, MS 22.2 2,881
13 Lakeland, FL 18.9 2,210
14 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 18.7 27,313
18 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC 15.7 4,123
20 Charleston-North Charleston, SC 14.4 2,423
21 Raleigh-Cary, NC 14.3 2,632
22 Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN 13.7 4,570

This is not a debate here, this is the simple fact that these bible belt towns need to not consider sex education taboo. The health of our children depends on it.

You are right about there not being a debate. If you want to think the "Bible Belt" has more than a miniscule effect on HIV/AIDS rates then you go right ahead.
This is not even worth my time you are so wrong.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

I think the CDC dropped Haitians off their list of HIV groups a long time ago.

Haiti is not as high a rate as say the Bahamas but after sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean has a higher HIV prevalence than any other area of the world.

Florida has just had a large influx of Haitians over the years so it is one group that sticks out.

[Coconut1]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

You are right about there not being a debate. If you want to think the "Bible Belt" has more than a miniscule effect on HIV/AIDS rates then you go right ahead.
This is not even worth my time you are so wrong.

Of the top 25 areas for AIDS, southern, bible belt cities account for 48% of them.

I'm not sure how you can possibly state that is wrong. It's in front of you just as it is me.

If you're trying to say these areas acquired their AIDS carrying citizens from Africa, or the Caribbean, I'm sorry, but you're wrong. The population from those areas living in these places is very small.

If you're offended by the 48% fact, then it should simply be a wake up call to become more active in your community and encourage comprehensive sexual education for all, especially middle and high school students before they become sexually active. You can be part of the group that breaks the cycle.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by Coconut1

Of the top 25 areas for AIDS, southern, bible belt cities account for 48% of them.

I'm not sure how you can possibly state that is wrong. It's in front of you just as it is me.

If you're trying to say these areas acquired their AIDS carrying citizens from Africa, or the Caribbean, I'm sorry, but you're wrong. The population from those areas living in these places is very small.

If you're offended by the 48% fact, then it should simply be a wake up call to become more active in your community and encourage comprehensive sexual education for all, especially middle and high school students before they become sexually active. You can be part of the group that breaks the cycle.

First off, the term bible belt was first used in the 1920's, the entire south has changed dramatically since then but you are obviously someone who thinks they are going to see preachers on every corner of every city in the south.

Even if I say that, yes, 12 of those cities are within the bible belt, it does not take away from the fact that the VAST majority of HIV/AIDS cases are in men that have sex with men, a CDC term since they cover all bases with it, intravenous drug users and immigrants.

Do you want to try and tell me that the men that are going to church and bible study are then going out and having sex with other men while shooting up heroin?

That would be a little strange that these people are so dead set against sex education but would be alright as homosexual drug users.

No one here said that some cases are not due to lack of sex education on the transmission of STD'S/HIV/AIDS. In fact lack of education on the subject is the reason the rate is higher in the Caribbean and Africa.

But to state the reason that the rate is higher in the south because the cities are in the bible belt is completely ludicrous. Even without the previous reasons I have mentioned, 3 of the top 5 cities ARE NOT in the bible belt and Jacksonville is hardly considered a bible belt city even if it is within the range of what many consider the region so that would make it 4 of 5, I can't comment on Baton Rouge.

Please explain why 3/4 of 5 of the top cities are there?