Though
HIV affects all races in the U.S., people of color carry more than their share of this burden. In fact, minorities accounted for nearly 69% of the 37,331 newly diagnosed cases of HIV and
AIDS in 2005.
1* Research has shown that HIV is especially hard on the African-American and Latino communities, as you will see below.
*Based on data from 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting.
Though African Americans only make up about 13% of the U.S. population, according to the 2000 census, they still comprise 49% of the new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the U.S.
2* AIDS has become the leading cause of death in African-American women aged 25 to 34, and the third leading cause of death in African-American men in the same age group.
3 The ways that men and women have commonly been infected with HIV are similar.
Efforts to prevent the spread of HIV among African Americans in the most affected category, men who have sex with men, have been challenging.
2,4 African-American men who have sex with other men are more likely than those of other races to keep their behavior a secret.
2,5 Experts suggest that this "down-low" behavior may play an important role in the spread of HIV to women.
2,6 Also, African-American men who have sex with men are less likely to be aware of their HIV-positive status than men of other races.
2,5 Not knowing your status is risky because you may unknowingly spread the virus to an HIV-negative partner.
2,5
Another minority group carrying more than their share of the HIV outbreak in the U.S. is the Latino community.* Take a look at these numbers:
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In 2004, HIV/AIDS became the fourth leading cause of death among Latino men and women between 35 to 44 years old.7 |
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In 2005, Latinos made up 16% of the estimated 952,629 AIDS cases diagnosed since the beginning of the epidemic, despite making up only 13% of the U.S. population.7 |
The leading causes of HIV infection are very similar to those in the African-American community. In 2005, the most common way that Latino men became infected with HIV was through sexual contact with other men, followed by injecting drugs with dirty needles and high-risk heterosexual contact.
7 Latino women also commonly became infected with HIV through high-risk heterosexual contact, followed by injecting drugs with dirty needles.
7
Since diagnosis, you or a loved one may have found that language barriers made it more difficult to find essential education, care and treatment. It is very important to find a healthcare provider who can speak your preferred language so you are comfortable discussing all your questions with him or her. In order to take all your HIV medications exactly as you should, you must fully understand your healthcare provider's instructions on how to take them. Use the
HIV Specialist Finder to find a healthcare provider in your area who speaks your preferred language.
Due to the rise in HIV infection among people of color, more people and organizations are working to raise awareness. Communities of color are joining together to address these issues. Check out the educational resources below for more information:
* Based on data from 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS at a Glance. June 2007:1-2. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/At-A-Glance.pdf. Accessed December 6, 2007.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS among African Americans. June 2007:1-7. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/pdf/aa.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2007.
3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Office of Minority Health. HIV/AIDS Data/Statistics. Available at: http://omhrc.gov/templates/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlID=9. Accessed February 15, 2007.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV/AIDS among racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men — United States, 1989-1998. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2000;49(1):4-11.
5. Millett GA, Peterson JL, Wolitski, RJ, et al. Greater risk for HIV infection of black men who have sex with men: a critical literature review. Am J Public Health. 2006;96(6):1007-19.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). HIV/STD risks in young men who have sex with men who do not disclose their sexual orientation — six U.S. cities, 1994-2000. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2003;52(5):81-6.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet: HIV/AIDS among Hispanics/Latinos. August 2007; 1-8. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/PDF/hispanic.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2007.