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Feb 7. marks National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
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In 2012, mortality rates among black patients with HIV were 1.5 times that of white patients with HIV and more than three times that of Hispanic and Latinos living with HIV.
With National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day observed on Feb. 7, the CDC is attempting to increase awareness of HIV and encourage action to reduce the disproportionate impact HIV/AIDS has on blacks.
“As a group, persons who self-identify as black or African-Americans have been affected by HIV more than any other racial/ethnic population,” Azfar-e-Alam Siddiqi, MD, PhD, of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, and colleagues wrote in MMWR. “Forty-seven percent of persons who received an HIV diagnosis in the United States in 2012 and 43% of all persons living with diagnosed HIV infection in 2011 were black.”
Researchers used data from the National HIV Surveillance System for 2008 to 2012 and reports to the CDC through June 2014 to evaluate mortality among black patients with HIV. In 2012, approximately 48% of all black patients living with HIV died (n=8,165). This number was 1.5 times the number of deaths among whites (n=5,426) and 3.2 times greater than deaths among Hispanics or Latinos (n=2,586).
The number of HIV deaths among blacks, however, has steadily decreased from 2008 to 2012, according to researchers, by 18%. The mortality rate per 1,000 persons living with HIV decreased 28%.
“Although deaths also decreased among other race/ethnicity groups, the decreases generally were greater and more consistent among blacks than among other races/ethnicities,” Siddiqi and colleagues wrote.
To assess progress toward increasing HIV testing and services, Puja Seth, PhD, of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, and colleagues analyzed data submitted by 61 health departments and 151 community-based organizations in 2013. These facilities were funded by the CDC to provide HIV testing and HIV-related services across the U.S.
Analysis indicated blacks accounted for 45% of CDC-funded HIV testing events in 2013, the largest proportion of any racial/ethnic group. Among target populations, blacks accounted for 23.3% of testing events among men who have sex with men (MSM), 52.4% of testing events among heterosexual males and 52% of events among heterosexual females.
Based on data from CDC-funded testing events in 2013, 54.9% of all newly identified HIV-positive patients were black. For target populations, 45.2% of new HIV-positive MSM were black, 71.6% of new positive heterosexual males were black, and 70.2% of new positive heterosexual females were black.
“Although disparities in mortality by race/ethnicity persist, the overall outlook for all persons living with HIV has improved, and the gaps between different races/ethnicities have narrowed,” Siddiqi and colleagues wrote. “Focusing prevention and care efforts on minority populations with a disproportionate HIV burden could lead to further reduction, if not elimination, of health disparities.” – by Amanda Oldt
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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