Graphically illustrating the impact of HIV and ARVs

Graph showing a significant dip in life expectancy for some African countries. Coincides with the rise of HIV/AIDS

Recently someone posted this graph on Reddit. It’s an incredible illustration of the impact of HIV/AIDS on some African countries. Correlation isn’t the same as causation, but it isn’t much of a stretch to conclude that the vicious dips in life expectancy are a result of HIV and AIDS.

In the comments section of the Reddit post (always useful to read) someone posted a link to Gapminder (Gapminder are the famous animated bubbles graphing guys) showing more recent data.

It seems that in recent years the graphs have swerved back upward again as ARV’s and more effective AIDS prevention are rolled out.

Graph showing the rise in life expectancy that coincides with the roll out of ARVs and better HIV prevention