AIDS In Southeast Queens,
The Truth Behind The High Numbers

By ANGELA MONTEFINISE

A 14-year-old African-American girl, wearing a Catholic school uniform approaches Jamaica Hospital’s Women’s Clinic on Jamaica Avenue.

She smiles at the receptionist and politely asks for a counselor.

Once she’s alone with a clinic worker in one of the building’s offices, the girl calmly and quietly asks for an HIV test.

She would get one at school, she says, but HIV and sex are not welcome topics at the religious institution.

Besides, she doesn’t want any of her friends or teachers to know that she’s been having sex with an older alcoholic.

She understands sex, she says.

She doesn’t understand HIV.

No one ever taught her about it.

In Southeast Queens, this true story is not an isolated case.

According to the New York City Department of Health (DOH), Southeast Queens, including Jamaica, has the largest number of HIV cases in all of the borough, with just over 2,500 residents living with the virus. In all of Queens, there are 6,177 people living with HIV.

In addition, 1999 Department of Health statistics state that since 1981, 10,639 Southeast Queens residents have been diagnosed with HIV.

In all of Queens, 14,791 have been diagnosed. Although the number of people diagnosed in Southeast Queens is going down, it’s still the highest in Queens.

Greg Butler, a representative from DOH, said, “It is clear from the statistics that Southeast Queens has felt the problem more than other areas. This could be for any number of reasons. Statistics show that 57 percent of people diagnosed with the disease nationwide are minorities. Southeast Queens includes mostly minority neighborhoods.”

Lucinda Lucas, HIV Coordinator at the Jamaica Hospital Women’s Center, agrees that “Minorities are infected more than others. It has a lot to do with their culture. I counsel minorities who are positive all the time, and I hear the same kinds of things over and over. They often have low-self esteem and they often aren’t aware of how to prevent AIDS. It’s a lack of community outreach and education.”

Lucas said that poverty in many minority areas leads to a sense of hopelessness, and many young residents, like the girl in the Catholic school uniform, fall to their own self-reservations.

While Southeast Queens districts do not have the lowest average income in Queens, they do have the lowest money per capita in the borough.

“Smart people do dumb things in extreme situations,” she said. “People have no money, so they feel they have no future. Women are so down on themselves, that all they think they have in their lives are their boyfriends or husbands. I constantly hear things like, ‘I can’t use a condom, my boyfriend won’t like it,’ or ‘I’ll lose my boyfriend if I use a condom,’ or ‘I have to ask my boyfriend’s permission first.’ Here they are in an HIV clinic talking about their own bodies, and they think so little of themselves that they won’t protect themselves. It’s a cycle. First poverty, then low self-esteem, then relationship problems.”

Lucas also said that different cultures regard women and their bodies differently than in the United States, making immigrants prone to the disease. Lucas said, “We have people getting off the plane and coming straight to the hospital to give birth. Many times, because other cultures don’t believe in condoms or safe sex, these women are infected.

“In many cultures, women are there for babies, and that’s all. Condoms would defeat the purpose.” She added, “Men from other cultures sometimes treat the women as inferior, so how can the woman become empowered?”

In addition to cultural values, Lucas said the strong religious presence found in minority areas also adds to the problem of HIV. “The clinic does presentations in black churches because religious organizations have tremendous pull in the area,” she said. “We figure we can reach a large audience. Whenever we go to churches, though, the minister tells us we can’t discuss sex or do a condom presentation. People don’t know how to use a condom. Of course there will be problems.”

According to Lucas, bisexuality and homosexuality are also stigmatized much more in religious black communities than in others in Queens, making bisexuals and gays much more secretive. Lucas said, “If a man is bisexual, he doesn’t tell anybody because it’s so looked down upon, and then he ends up spreading the disease because his partner or partners don’t know.

“Women get HIV much easier than men because of the nature of sexual intercourse, and when men don’t tell anybody, it makes it even easier.”

Although it’s easier for women to get HIV, men in Southeast Queens acquire the disease much more, with 9,510 men and 1,129 women diagnosed since 1981. Lucas said, “That’s because of the homosexual aspect of HIV. There will always be more men than women as a result.”

Although the number of people diagnosed with HIV is still high in Southeast Queens, it is going down.

In 1994, DOH statistics say that the number of people in Southeast Queens diagnosed with HIV hit an all-time high of 1,709 people.

 In 1999, 118 people were diagnosed.

The National HIV Prevention Conference announced on August 13th that infection rates amongst New York City  IV drug users was also down.

 Lucas attributed these drops to more community outreach, more acceptance by the community, and more attention in government.

Community based-organizations are getting more involved in educating the area’s residents about HIV, and religious organizations are accepting HIV education more readily.

Lucas said, “Religious clergy are seeing the importance of educating the members of their congregations. That helps. Also, schools are allowing presentations, which is extremely important. Teaching children at a young age about the dangers of unsafe sex could stop them from becoming accustomed to such negative behavior. And, of course, community groups getting involved with handing out brochures and presenting information is helpful.”

In terms of illegal IV drug use, a new state law allowing drug stores to sell syringes over-the-counter without prescriptions has helped keep needles clean, and has made drug use safer as a result. The AIDS Center of Queens has also followed the lead of AIDS service centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan by supplying free needles and syringes to their offices in Rego Park, Jamaica, and Far Rockaway.

Jamaica Hospital tries to help drug users as well, according to Lucas, by teaching drug addicts how to clean their needles properly and how to get clean needles and syringes. “We never encourage drug use,” Lucas said. “We try to get addicts to stop. But if they’re not ready, then the least we can do is help them do it safely. By keeping their needles clean, they avoid HIV. They’re going to do heroin anyway, so we should help them.”

Physicians are trying to learn more about the treatment of AIDS by becoming more educated on counseling HIV patients and treating them.

The New York Chapter of Minority Providers in HIV Care, a two-year-old group of which Lucas is a member, teaches doctors how to treat the disease and counsel patients.

In addition, Jamaica Hospital has been dedicated to improving their women’s center and HIV clinic, according to Lucas, allowing for better counseling and treatment for people infected with the disease. All pregnant women at the hospital have to see an HIV counselor, and have the option of taking an HIV test. Lucas recommends the test to soon-to-be mothers for the protection of their babies. With 18 new HIV drugs on the market, early testing for the disease gives babies a 92 percent chance of being born HIV-free. “If a mommy gets tested and she’s positive, we can save the baby. We can also prolong the life of the mother. So many people are afraid to take the test, but they should, even if just for their peace of mind.”

Lucas encourages abstinence to avoid the disease, but said, “If people are having sex anyway, then other steps have to be suggested. Condoms, condoms, condoms. That’s the key. Also, empowerment for women. They have to be selfish and think of their own bodies and their own health first. That’s what we tell people. And, of course, get tested and make sure your partner is tested.”

She added, “Live a safe life. The world is hard. Avoid promiscuous sex and drugs. It’s not always easy. Come to us during the tough times. We’re always here to help.”

The Women’s Health Clinic is located at 133-03 Jamaica Avenue, and it can be reached at 291-3276. For men, the HIV clinic at Jamaica Hospital can be reached at 206-7024.

In addition, New York City sponsors an AIDS hotline, at 442-3388.

AIDS In Queens By The Numbers

The following are Dept. of Health totals of the reported AIDS cases in Queens neighborhoods catergorized by gender.

– Data courtesy of the New York City Dept. of Health, Office of AIDS Surveillance.