February 1, 2006

AIDS Epidemic Continues to Affect African-American Communities: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Emphasizes Education and Action

More than half the nation's AIDS cases are African American. This alarming statistic from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) starkly portrays the epidemic that continues to confront Black communities in the U.S. The American Social Health Association (ASHA) joins many other public health organizations in proclaiming February 7 National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) to draw attention to this epidemic, the need to be educated about it and to take action for prevention, early diagnosis, and access to treatment and care.

“Despite the progress in treatment for this infection, HIV and AIDS are still major health risks for many people, especially African Americans in the United States,” stated James R. Allen, MD, MPH, President of the American Social Health Association. “It is essential that everyone understand the risks and how to protect themselves. And people who have been at risk need to know how to seek testing and counseling services to assure early diagnosis if they are infected."

Today, more than one million people in the United States are estimated to be infected with HIV or living with AIDS, and 35,000 to 40,000 new HIV infections occur every year. Of people with HIV infection, approximately one in four have not been tested for infection and therefore are undiagnosed and unaware of their infection. Without being diagnosed, these people cannot be evaluated for the best therapy to manage their infection. And they may not be following recommended prevention measures."

The Epidemic -- AIDS was the leading cause of death for African Americans between ages 25 and 44 in 2002, according to the CDC. Moreover, between 2000 and 2003, HIV/AIDS rates for African American females were nineteen times the rates for white females and five times the rates for Hispanic females; they also exceeded the rates for males of all races/ethnicities other than African Americans. Rates for African American males were seven times those for white males and three times those for Hispanic males.

“Statistic's show that African Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic's beginning,” says Dr. John Robertson, Executive Director of National Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council, a sponsoring organization of NBHAAD.

Now in its sixth year, NBHAAD is a national mobilization effort designed to encourage African Americans across U.S. Territories to get educated about HIV and to get tested and treated promptly when at risk. NBHAAD's organizers are known as the Strategic Leadership Council (SLC). In partnership with the CDC, the SLC works to mobilize Black communities and address specific issues in regards to local epidemics and public health issues, such as HIV.

The American Social Health Association is a 92-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to providing factual, unbiased information about sexually transmitted infections, including HIV infection and AIDS. Over the last two decades, ASHA has provided assistance to millions of people who have called for information, used our web sites, or read our pamphlets and educational materials. For more information about ASHA, visit www.ashastd.org. ASHA's educational web sites also include: www.iwannaknow.org (teensite), and www.quierosaber.org (Spanish language teen site).

For more information about National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, visit www.blackaidsday.org.