Health care
BY MELISSA ENAJE
New Harris County public health data spurs increased services in Montrose
Rate of new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 people, 2015–2021
15.3-30.9
31-50.6
50.7-81.1
290
45
77008
59
10
The highest rates of new HIV diagnoses and those living with the virus in Harris County were found in the Montrose and Downtown Houston areas, according to 2016-22 data stemming from an April report released by Harris County Public Health. “HIV continues to rise,” said Jennifer Kiger, who serves as HCPH’s director of the Office of Epidemi- ology, Surveillance and Emerging Diseases. “We’re seeing that in Texas, [and] we’re also seeing that here in Harris County.” Digging deeper Montrose had the highest rate of new HIV diag- noses in the six-year time period, according to the data, with a rate of 81, compared to the third highest rate in the county, which was found in the Settegast neighborhood in north Houston with 66. The report also stated that the Downtown
Houston and Montrose areas had the highest rates of people living with HIV in the county from 2015-21, with 5,614 and 2,238 cases, respectively. “I think we do see that more younger people ... live in the more central part of our county,” Kiger said. “That’s part one. Also, one thing we really talk about in the report is that sometimes hospitals or clinics may not have an address for an individual and therefore will put the address or ZIP code of the clinic or hospital.” Harris County has a higher-than-average rate of HIV than the Texas average, which can lead to poor health outcomes, higher health care costs and reduced quality of life, health care officials said. The action taken HCPH is expanding its low-cost, clinical and preventive services to address the rising rates in
10
77007
77002
77019
610
77006
77098
69
77004
45
288
N
SOURCES: HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, UNITED STATES ZIP CODES/COMMUNITY IMPACT
the county, according to an April news release. As part of its HIV/STI prevention program to remove testing barriers, HCPH offers Testing 123, a mobile outreach service that offers services to clients at their preferred location by texting 281-962-8378 to set an HIV testing appointment.
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HEIGHTS - RIVER OAKS - MONTROSE EDITION
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