HIV/AIDS Facts – African American Women

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HIV/AIDS Facts – African American Women

• African Americans account for more than one-third (38%) of the 816,149 AIDS cases since the beginning of the epidemic. In 2001 alone, African Americans accounted for about half (49%) of the 43,158 cases reported. 1
• African Americans account for more than half (54%) of the 40,000 new HIV infections estimated to occur in the US each year. 2
• HIV is the leading cause of death for African Americans ages 25-44. 3
• The AIDS rate for African American women in 2001 was almost 20 times that of white women. 2
• 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 American women accounted for nearly 64 percent of HIV cases reported among women in 2001. 4
• The leading cause of HIV infection among African Americans is heterosexual contact, followed by injection use. 4
• Today, the greatest risk factor for African American women lies in unprotected sexual intercourse with their male partners. Many are unaware that a partner engages in high-risk behavior, such as male-to-male sex or injection drug use. 5

References:

1. CDC, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, Vol.13, No2.
2. CDC, HIV/AIDS Update: A Glance at the Epidemic, February 2002.
3. CDC, NCHS, National Vital Statistics Report, Leading Causes of Death for 2000, Vol. 50, No.16, September 2002.
4. Kaiser Family Foundation, Key Facts: African Americans and HIV/AIDS, September 2003.
5. The Body. Policy Facts: Communities of Color and HIV/AIDS, January 2002.