The HIV Crisis in African American Communities – Dallas Weekly

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African American people are disproportionately affected by HIV, with 37% of new diagnoses in 2022 belonging to Black Americans, despite a 12% drop in HIV infection rates between 2018 and 2022. Black youth between the ages of 13 and 24 account for half of all new HIV diagnoses among youth nationwide, and Black women account for 50% of new HIV diagnoses. HIV stigma and limited PrEP use are also issues in certain regions and communities, with the most unmet need for PrEP in the South.
In the 1980s, it was a death sentence.  
Now, with advancements in medicine, living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) doesn’t mean your life will end. Prevention efforts show improvements in HIV infection rates, with a 12% drop between 2018 to 2022. 
Still, the rates of HIV infection are increasing in certain regions and communities. And it doesn’t help that stigma, misinformation, and shame continue to burden Black folks who are overwhelmingly vulnerable to the virus.
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Read more: Stigma, Stereotypes, and the HIV Crisis in the South 
Here’s a brief collection of charts that show how HIV rates are impacting African American people.  
Black people experience significant barriers in seeking and receiving HIV testing, prevention, care, and treatment, including challenges stemming from differential access to healthcare and a range of social and economic benefits.  
In 2022, the most recent available data on HIV infection rates, there were about 31,800 new diagnoses. Black Americans made up 37% of those diagnoses. 
In 2022, young Black Americans between the ages of 13 to 24 accounted for half of all new HIV diagnoses among youth nationwide. Nearly double the rates of Hispanic and Latino youth and more than three times the rate of white youth. 
Women are often underrepresented in HIV prevention and treatment efforts and are also less likely to perceive themselves as at risk for HIV. Black women accounted for 50% of new HIV diagnoses in 2022 — double the rate for white women and two and a half times the rate for Hispanic women. 
A significant number of Americans living with HIV report experience stigma. Black and Hispanic/Latinx people living with diagnosed HIV experience more HIV stigma and more instances of homelessness/unstable housing than white people. Both factors can contribute to negative health outcomes for people living with or at risk for the virus. 
Pre-Exposure Prophlaxis is a medication that helps prevent HIV infection. Nearly 50% of new HIV diagnoses are in the South, yet only account for 22% of PrEP users. Black Americans have the greatest unmet need for PrEP in any region.
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The post The Truth About Black America’s HIV Crisis appeared first on Word In Black.

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Gilliam Nii Lighter

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