National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Options

[Root Admin]

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

In recognition of the devastating toll that HIV/AIDS has taken on African American communities, as well as the progress that has been made towards combating the epidemic among this population, February 7th continues to be acknowledged as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Currently, African Americans are facing the most severe rates of HIV infection within the United States. While this ethnic minority group accounts for approximately 12% of the U.S. population, they account for nearly half of new HIV infections and almost half of the more than one million Americans estimated to be living with HIV, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Stigma, homophobia, poverty, and limited access to health have contributed to a high prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases within the black community. It has been estimated that 1 in 16 black men will be diagnosed with the virus in their lifetime, as will 1 in 30 black women. Black gay and bisexual men have been particularly hard hit by the epidemic, and rates among young men who have sex with men continue to increase at alarming rates.

Mobilization efforts within the African American community, however, are proving effective, with the CDC recently reporting that the new infection rate among blacks has remained relatively stable over the past decade.

To find out what’s going on in your community in recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, or for more information regarding the epidemic among African Americans, visit www.blackaidsday.org.