USA. Black Americans and HIV/AIDS: The Basics

Key Facts:

- Black Americans have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the epidemic’s beginning, and that disparity has deepened over time. 

- Although they represent only 12% of the U.S. population, Blacks account for a much larger share of HIV diagnoses (43%), people estimated to be living with HIV disease (42%), and deaths among people with HIV (43%) than any other racial/ethnic group in the U.S. 

- Among Black Americans, Black women, youth, and gay and bisexual men have been especially hard hit. 

- A number of challenges contribute to the epidemic among Blacks, including poverty, lack of access to health care, higher rates of some sexually transmitted infections and smaller sexual networks, lack of awareness of HIV status, and stigma. 

- Despite this impact, recent data indicate some encouraging trends, including declining new HIV diagnoses among Blacks overall, especially among women, and a leveling off of new diagnoses among Black gay and bisexual men. However, given the epidemic’s continued and disproportionate impact among Blacks, a continued focus is critical to addressing HIV in the United States. (KFF – Kaiser Family Foundation, USA, 07.02.2019)

https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/black-americans-and-hivaids-the-basics