According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Blacks/African Americansa account for a higher proportion of new HIV diagnoses and people with HIV, compared to other races/ethnicities. In 2018, blacks/African Americans accounted for 13% of the US population but 42% of the 37,832 new HIV diagnoses in the United States and dependent areas.
The CDC also reported that 1 in 7 blacks/African Americans with HIV are unaware they have it. People who do not know they have HIV cannot take advantage of HIV care and treatment and may unknowingly pass HIV to others.
African American men and women have higher rates of some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than other racial/ethnic communities. Having another STD can increase a person’s chance of getting or transmitting HIV.
In 2017, the CDC also reported there were 7,053 deaths among adult and adolescent blacks/African Americans with diagnosed HIV in the US and dependent areas. These deaths may be due to any cause.
The D.I.V.A. Foundation leans on the healing power of the arts to raise funds, awareness, and de-stigmatize AIDS and HIV.
Ralph’s event “Divas: Simply Singing” will stream live Saturday night at https://divassimplysinging.com/.