HIV/AIDS Crisis in Eastern North Carolina

Eastern North Carolina is known for its unique style of pork barbeque and its proximity to the beloved Carolina Crystal Coast, but there is something else that the area is starting to get recognized for that isn't at all positive: HIV/AIDS.

The Coastal Plain region of North Carolina is not as wealthy as places west such as the well-known Raleigh/Durham area, and there are very few large cities. Small cities and little towns that are barely half a dot on the map make up most of the region. Many counties are poor and resources are scarce, a bad combination for citizens who need assistance medically or financially-citizens like those infected with AIDS, or HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The infection rate in eastern North Carolina is staggering with rates that are, according to Dr. Thomas Kerkering of East Carolina University, at the level of countries in Africa. The region is one of the hardest hit areas in the entire nation with Edgecombe County carrying the highest infection rate in the area. And contrary to the stereotypical belief still held by some, the disease is striking mostly young, heterosexual African Americans rather than white, homosexual men. In fact, according to a 2006 article written by Doug Boyd in ECU's Pieces of Eight newspaper, 81% of HIV/AIDS patients treated at ECU's Brody School of Medicine are African American with 42% of patients being female. The development of AIDS as a heterosexual disease is also seen in third world countries.

Not only has the STD hit mostly heterosexual African Americans, but also those with few financial resources. This in turn leads to patients having problems with transportation and gaining access to quality healthcare. Because much of the Coastal Plain is made up of small towns or rural areas, there are very few places for patients to get adequate care for treatment for such a serious illness. In the same Boyd article, Dr. Kerkering stated that of the HIV/AIDS patients at ECU, close to 67% have Medicaid, 20% have no health insurance, and well over three-fourths of the patients have a yearly income totaling less than $15,000. Over half have a literacy level of less than a fourth grader.

Another issue is the shame attached to an HIV diagnosis. Some, especially young people, have an "it can't happen to me" attitude and do not take precautionary measures seriously. Others still associate AIDS with homosexual men. In eastern North Carolina, right in the Bible Belt and full of small town gossip, the shame of being labeled as an AIDS patient overrides the need for testing and treatment in some cases. It is not unheard of in this area for those infected to tell others that they have pneumonia or cancer. Only after their passing does their true cause of death come to light.

Eastern North Carolina is facing many obstacles such as weak public school systems, high unemployment rates, and crime problems including gangs. One can't help but correlate the HIV/AIDS rate to the state of the region. Unwise choices, few financial resources, limited education, and a lack of healthcare are all major players in this epidemic-a crisis that few local citizens seem to notice.