I Am Empowered - I am the National Urban League

THE DATA

Today, African Americans face the most severe rates of HIV infection in the nation

• African Americans make up just 14% of the total U.S. population, but represent almost half of those living with HIV and about half of those with AIDS who die each year

Within the black community, HIV has many faces: young and old, male and female, straight and gay

• It’s our black women in their 30s or 40s for whom HIV is now the 3rd leading cause of death
• It’s our young people – men and women – many of whom will become infected before their 30th birthday (40% of new infections among blacks are young people aged 13-29)
• It’s our gay and bisexual brothers – who continue to be especially hard hit (more than 40% of new infections among blacks)

FACTORS DRIVING THE BLACK HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC

While we each have a personal responsibility to protect our own health, we must also tackle the root causes that allow HIV to flourish in black communities

• Compared to individuals of other racial/ethnic groups, African Americans face a greater risk of getting HIV with every sexual encounter
• The high prevalence of HIV in many black communities means that the chances are greater that a sexual partner may already be infected with HIV
• In addition, many black communities also have a high prevalence of STDs, which can increase a person’s chances for contracting HIV

Many of the same social and environmental factors that place African Americans at risk for other chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes) are the same ones fueling the HIV epidemic in black communities

• Access to healthcare: Almost 1 in 5 African Americans does not have health insurance, and we know that people who aren’t able to see a doctor may not get an HIV test or treatment until it’s too late
• Economics: Nearly 1 in 4 black families live in poverty, and we know that people who can’t afford the basics in life may end up in circumstances that increase their HIV risk Incarceration: High rates of incarceration in some black communities have led to imbalanced ratios of men to women, which can disrupt sexual networks and help fuel the spread of HIV
• Stigma and homophobia: While not unique to black communities, stigma and homophobia prevent too many African Americans from seeking the treatment, testing, and support they need

WHAT WE CAN DO

HIV is 100% preventable. There are things we can all do, starting today, to protect ourselves and our partners.

• Get the facts about HIV: Know if you are at risk, how it is spread, and take action to protect yourself against it
• Get tested: Testing is the first step in protecting yourself and others from infection. CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get an HIV test Talk about HIV: We must begin to shed light on these issues that continue to hide in the dark in order to overcome the stigma that too often continues to surround this disease

Click here for more in-depth information on the epidemic among African Americans.