February is Black History Month and today is also National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness in its eleventh year of commemoration. African Americans have the highest rates of new HIV infections in the U.S, according to Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. In 2007, blacks accounted for almost half of people living with HIV infection in the U.S. Socioeconomic issues such as poverty, limited access to quality healthcare and HIV prevention education have all been linked to the high rates of infections in the black communities.

This initiative is targeted directly at the mobilization of black communities, to increase awareness through education, testing and treatment. There are five national organizations which partner with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to oversee this yearly initiative: Alliances for Quality Education Inc.; Healthy Black Communities Inc., Multi-Cultural Addiction Networks, Inc., My Brother’s Keeper, Inc., National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. Every year communities plan events and activities which raise awareness on HIV and getting tested.

Since the AIDS epidemic began in 1981, Blacks have been disproportionately affected. More than any other ethnic group in the United States, Blacks account for more new HIV infections, AIDS cases, and people estimated to be living with HIV disease, and HIV related deaths. Even though Blacks make up 13% of the US population, Blacks account for about half of the people who get HIV and AIDS.

In 2006, black men accounted for two-thirds of new infections (65%) among all blacks. The rate of new HIV infection for black men was 6 times as high as that of white men, nearly 3 times that of Hispanic/Latino men, and twice that of black women. Also, the rate of new HIV infection for black women was nearly 15 times as high as that of white women and nearly 4 times that of Hispanic/Latina women.

Although new HIV infections have remained fairly stable among blacks, from 2005 to 2008 estimated HIV diagnoses increased approximately 12%. This may be due to increased testing or diagnosis earlier in the course of HIV infection; it may also be due to uncertainty in statistical models. At some point in their lifetimes, 1 in 16 black men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will 1 in 30 black women.

By the end of 2007, an estimated 233,624 blacks with a diagnosis of AIDS had died in the US and 5 dependent areas. In 2006, HIV was the ninth leading cause of death for all blacks and the third leading cause of death for both black men and black women aged 35 to 44.

Great strides have been made in terms of educating the public, but as the statistics show, much more work needs to be done. This crisis affects all of us, directly or indirectly, and it will take all of our efforts to defeat it.

Like other communities, African Americans face a number of challenges that contribute to the higher rates of HIV infection.

Sexual risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex with multiple partners, with a partner who also has other sex partners, or with persons at high risk for HIV infection can be common in some communities.

Injection drug use can facilitate HIV transmission through the sharing of unclean needles. Casual and chronic substance users may be more likely to engage in unprotected sex under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

African Americans continue to experience higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than any other race/ethnicity in the US. The presence of certain STDs can significantly increase the chance of contracting HIV infection. A person who has both HIV infection and certain STDs has a greater chance of infecting others with HIV.

The socioeconomic issues associated with poverty, including limited access to quality health care, housing, and HIV prevention education, directly and indirectly increase the risk for HIV infection and affect the health of people living with HIV.

Lack of awareness of HIV status. In a recent study of men who have sex with men (MSM) in five cities, 67% of the HIV infected black MSM were unaware of their infection.

Source: Black AIDS Day

Written by Sy Kraft, B.A.