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National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day --- February 7, 2009
February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which seeks to increase awareness of the disproportionate effects
of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among blacks living in the United
States. In 2006, blacks accounted for approximately 12% of the adolescent and adult U.S. population but 46.1% of the
number estimated to be living with HIV (1). For 2006, estimates of HIV incidence show that blacks had the highest rates of
new infections (115.7 per 100,000 population for males and 55.7 per 100,000 population for females) of any
racial/ethnic population (2). Among black females, high-risk heterosexual contact accounted for 83% of the new infections. Among
black males, male-to-male sexual contact accounted for 63% of the new infections
(3).
In 2006, a higher percentage of blacks reported having been tested for HIV during the preceding 12 months than
did Hispanics and whites (22% versus 13% and 8%, respectively)
(4). Nonetheless, HIV testing should be promoted
and increased among blacks because persons who are aware of their HIV infection are less likely to transmit it to others.
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