WHAT IS NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY?
February 7th is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), a day to bring attention to how HIV disproportionately impacts the Black community.
To commemorate this special day, we’d like to share some key information on HIV among Black communities and offer ways to get involved.
It is estimated that in 2019 there were over 1.2 million people with HIV in the United States. Black people, at 479,300 known cases, represent 40% of that number. Similarly, Black people accounted for 41% of the estimated 34,800 new HIV infections in the United States. Considering that Black people only make up 13% of the population, it’s clear that this disparity is rooted in historical and contemporary racism.
WHY IT MATTERS
The HIV epidemic continues to inordinately affect Black people, particularly Black men who have sex with men (MSM).
In 2019, Black women made up 55% of diagnoses of HIV infection among females. Furthermore, a CDC analysis found that Black gay and bisexual men are less likely to receive an HIV diagnosis, use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV, and be virally suppressed compared to White gay and bisexual men.
The same alarming increase of risk is found among transgender persons.
While this epidemic is widespread, there is a disproportionate amount of new cases and high mortality rates in the South, with Atlanta, Georgia as the epicenter.
GET INVOLVED
Despite the challenge represented by these statistics, there are ways to get involved, empower yourself and others, and help reduce the spread of HIV in the Black community.
For NBHAAD 2023, we are encouraging individuals to share HIV information and resources with their community. By addressing the stigma around HIV, promoting HIV testing, and connecting Black communities to HIV treatment and preventive measures, we can help improve health outcomes at the individual and community levels and help end the HIV epidemic.
Here are some steps you can take to get involved in NBHAAD:
• Encourage others to get tested and talk to their healthcare providers about PrEP.
• Participate in HIV education and awareness initiatives in your community.
• Follow CDC guidelines to reduce your risk of HIV infection.
• Volunteer with a local HIV organization.
By taking action, you can make a difference in the fight against HIV in the Black community.
Together, we can help reduce the spread of HIV in Black communities and make National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day a day of progress and hope.
For more information and resources about HIV, visit our HIV Info Center.
