Wednesday, February 7 marks Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
In 2021 the United States estimated 1.2 million residents aged 13 and older had the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Referred to as HIV, the virus attacks the body’s immune system and if not treated can lead to AIDS.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows Black Americans are 7.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than White Americans. Despite African Americans making up 13% of the U.S. population, 2019 federal data shows they account for more than 42% of national HIV cases.
“Today we’re still seeing more HIV infections in Black and African American men, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. That’s the fire in our belly the wok that we do,” Kaye Hayes, HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infectious Disease told WGVU.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports racism, poverty and stigma continue to drive health disparities and make it more difficult for African American people to Access HIV testing.
“We’re talking about unstable housing, racism, access to care. There’s so many community factors or what we call syndemic factors that really impact what’s happening around HIV in the Black community,” Hayes explained.
Hayes said Black men often sit at the center of HIV conversations, but it’s important to include Black women, who account for 54% of new female HIV cases.
“We want to talk about Black women because that’s a community that significantly increases in HIV prevention, and very often Black women feel they’re overlooked,” she said.
Hayes is working with the HHS “I Am a Work of ART” campaign, which encourages people to seek care, stay in care and achieve viral suppression by taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). The campaign is community informed and partners with HIV advocates like Alecia Tramel-McIntyre.
“For me it shows people like myself living and thriving with HIV and engaging in the care to remain virally suppressed and just showing community support and community,”
Though HIV has no cure, treatment can provide long and healthy lives. The nation-wide campaign aims to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030.
