AIDSVu is helping us all take a new look at how HIV is affecting the nation as a whole – whether on a city scale, by zip code area, or a nationwide map, this project shows those infected with HIV per capita. What is the benefit of such a project? Prevalence of the disease can now be compared against maps showing potentially significant contributing factors to see if they are truly relevant.

For example, is HIV more prevalent in poor parts of cities or the nation as a whole compared to wealthy areas? Is there a connection between the availability of a quality education and the spread of HIV? Is HIV more common in parts of the country where people frequently do not have health coverage?

It’s not that studies like this haven’t ever been done – but nothing on this scale has ever been so accessible to the public before. We may have heard lump sum figures of how many in the country suffer from HIV, but now we can see a breakdown by stats such as gender, ethnicity, and age.

By revealing which parts of the country have the highest number of HIV diagnoses, it becomes clearer to see whereabouts it is necessary to have the most testing services available, as well as places that treatment centers are most needed.

Data is now available from 20 major US cities, and there are also state maps, all from data collated in 2010 and based on reports from the CDC.

These maps reveal a number of telling truths about the disease, such as the fact that HIV is more prevalent in the Northeastern and Southern parts of the country. It also shows higher infection rates in inner city areas and among minority groups.

Hopefully these maps will create the awareness necessary in fighting the continuing scourge of HIV.