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AIDS deaths rise in 24 - 44 age group The number of lives lost to AIDS among 25 - 44 year old American men and women of every race continued to increase in 1994. The disease has become the third leading cause of death for women in that age group and the leading cause of death of white men in that group. In 1994, there was 30 percent rise in AIDS - related women, and a 13 percent increase among black men. The new figures are based on a report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. AIDS cases among minorities and women are often linked to drug use and sex with infected drug users. The two are related because drug use impairs a person's judgment about having sex and some people trade sex for drugs and share needles used to inject drugs. The number of deaths from AIDS in the United States increased 9 percent in 1994 from the previous year, and has increased every year since the epidemic began 15 years ago. The number of new AIDS cases in 1994 was 63,000 and the number of new infections is estimated at 40,000 to 80,000. AIDS related deaths in 1994 totaled 41,930. (CDC Clearinghouse 2/16/96)