African Americans More Likely to Suffer from HIV/AIDS

By: Seth Hays for Body1

More than any other racial or ethnic group in the U.S., African Americans continue to be hardest hit by new HIV/AIDS cases.

According to a February Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report, blacks account for 51 percent of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses but represent only 13 percent of the population sampled. Covering 33 states that used confidential, name-based reporting from 2001 to 2004, the CDC report said blacks also represented the largest percentage of HIV/AIDS cases for every age group.

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HIV Rate Facts From the CDC Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS Among African Americans Studies show an association between higher incidence of AIDS and lower income. One in four African Americans lives in poverty. Sexual contact with a male is the leading means of transmission for both African American women and men. HIV/AIDS is among the top three causes of death for African American men aged 25-54. For women of the same age, it is in the top four causes of death. From 2001 to 2004, the rate of HIV/AIDS diagnoses for African Americans decreased.

Broken down by gender, blacks accounted for the greatest percentage of cases diagnosed among males (44 percent) and the majority of cases among females (68 percent), the report said. Although the study did not include all 50 U.S. states, the CDC believes that “the racial/ethnic disparities described in this report are similar to the disparities observed in AIDS cases from all 50 states.”

Certain areas of the country are feeling the effects of this gap more than others. Recently, New York City has addressed the racial disparity in HIV/AIDS transmission. New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas R. Frieden said, “While one in four New Yorkers is African-American, 55 percent of all HIV-related deaths in 2004 were among black adults. HIV is the third leading cause of death for black men and women under the age of 65.”

Looking at data by gender and age group, the numbers become particularly troubling. One in five black men aged 40 to 49 living on the island of Manhattan is HIV/AIDS positive. HIV prevalence among black women is 27 times that of white women. A black woman is also nine times more likely to die from HIV/AIDS than a white woman.

Stigma, discrimination and the lack of coordinated systems of services are some of the chief barriers for effective HIV prevention and care for women, according to a December 2005 report from the New York State AIDS Advisory Council.

The CDC states, “Race and ethnicity, by themselves, are not risk factors for HIV infection.” And even though African Americans are more likely to be tested for HIV/AIDS, they “are more likely to face challenges associated with risk for HIV infection,” including sexual risk factors, denial and socioeconomic issues.

What’s being done

In New York, Dr. Frieden is working towards the city’s goal to considerably reduce HIV/AIDS deaths among blacks. He proposes aggressive and controversial testing procedures and making tests for the virus a routine part of medical care. He also suggests testing require only verbal consent, rather than the current verbal and written consent. It is important to note that Dr. Frieden stresses he is not proposing mandatory testing or treatment.

On the national level, the CDC is addressing the racial and ethnic gaps found in its report. “To reduce disparities, partnerships must be enhanced among a broad range of persons and groups, including governmental agencies, community organizations, faith-based institutions, educational institutions, community opinion leaders and the public,” the CDC said.

In 2005 the CDC organized the African American Working Group “to develop a comprehensive action plan to increase and strengthen HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention.”

Originally funded by the CDC, the annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is held February 7. Its goals are to increase resources and support for organizations working on HIV/AIDS prevention as well as gather accurate information regarding the disease and its impact on the black community. You can visit the Web site at www.blackaidsday.org for more information.

The CDC is dedicated to alleviating the ethnic gap in HIV/AIDS transmission. “New and improved prevention strategies, including expanded HIV testing, targeted communications, and tailored prevention services, are needed to help address disparities in HIV transmission among blacks.”

Last updated: 04-Apr-06