Africa Speaks Reasoning Forum

African Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic’s beginning and the disparity has deepened over time.
African Americans represent 12% of the U.S. population but
now account for more than half of all new HIV infections estimated to occur in the U.S. each year and approximately half of newly reported AIDS cases
.2 They account for more people estimated to be living
with AIDS and more deaths among persons with AIDS than any otherracial/ethnic group. HIV was the number one cause of death for African Americans between the ages of 25 and 44 in 2000. The epidemic has had a disproportionate impact on different subgroups of African Americans including women, teens, children, and men who have sex with men, and the epidemic’s impact varies across the country. Moreover, African Americans with HIV/AIDS may face additional barriers to accessing care than their white counterparts.1
Snapshot of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
• African Americans account for more than a third (38%) of the 816,149 AIDS cases reported since the beginning of the epidemic
and about half (49%) of the 43,158 cases reported in 2001 alone.
The number of AIDS cases reported among African Americans in 2001 was greater than for any other racial/ethnic group.3
• African Americans account for more than half (54%) of the 40,000
new HIV infections estimated to occur in the U.S. each year.4
• As of the end of 2001, there were 151,530 African Americans
estimated to be living with AIDS, or 42% of the total.5
• HIV was the leading cause of death for African Americans ages 25–44 in 2000, compared to the 5th leading cause of death for whites and 4th for Latinos in this age group.6
• In 2001, the AIDS case rate among African American
adults/adolescents was almost 10 times higher than among whites
(76.3 per 100,000 compared to 7.9).3
• More than a third of African Americans (35%) say HIV/AIDS is the most urgent health problem facing the nation, compared to 13% of
whites, and African Americans are much more likely to say they are personally concerned about becoming infected (55% compared to26% of whites). However, concern among African Americans, aswell as the public overall, has been decreasing over time.7
• Although African American men still account for most new AIDS cases
and HIV infections among African Americans, African American
women account for a growing share.African Americans; by 2001, African American women represented
more than one third (34%) of new cases reported among all African
Americans.3,8
• While women represent a growing share of new AIDS cases overall,
this trend is more pronounced within the African American population.

Resources
Statistics found Kaiser Family Foundation

--What does this say about our Black Race? , is our race killing it self by suicide of not adhearing to all the precautions and resources out there on Aids.
Why is it if there is so much information around why is our number still rising? Is it that we fear others would find out?, is it that we don't want to settle down so we keep living our lives on the edge, the black men living they "down low lives" some one really tell me what causes our race to suffocate in this Aids Dilemma cause I can't seem to find no other answer except that our race just don't want to change and save our generation from dying...

greetings...i too am concerned about the AIDs epidemic...particularly among Black women, as we are the fastest growing population contracting the virus...largely due to Black men having unprotected sex with other Black men (down low brothers) ...this is not a new phenomenon...it's just that the media is catching wind of it...and putting it out there as a serious threat to the health and lives of Black women...AIDS is the number one killer of Black women in this country...and it is time for brothers to wake up and take action, as well...


just food for thought...nm

Bless sistren

This epidemic is very alarming and it need to be stop but we can only stop it if we take a good look at ourself and the lives we live, and our brothers need to get them self in check and stop living the downlow life and stick to being on the straight and narrow...

Cause if we don't then our race would eventually be wiped by Aids