Today marks the 7th annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This year's theme is "Get Educated! Get Tested! Get Involved! Get Treated!” With this year's emphasis on action, those working on HIV/AIDS issues say they hope to create a dialogue both within the African American community and between local communities to address the crisis.
Today also brought the release of important new information from the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on the tremendous impact of HIV on African Americans. Among the startling findings being presented today:
In the United States today, blacks face a higher rate of HIV diagnosis than any other racial/ethnic group - more than 8 times the diagnosis rate of whites.
HIV diagnoses fell significantly among both black men and women from 2001 to 2004, with the sharpest declines occurring among injection drug users.
Heterosexual black men and women also experienced declines in HIV diagnoses from 2001 to 2004, though black gay and bisexual men - the group most heavily impacted by HIV - experienced continued stability in diagnoses.
Heterosexual black men and women also experienced declines in HIV diagnoses from 2001 to 2004, though black gay and bisexual men - the group most heavily impacted by HIV - experienced continued stability in diagnoses.
Many experts feel the black community is at the brink of a crisis that could severely and permanently damage the black family in America. That was the message by Wilbert C. Jordan, MD, MPH recognized as the nation's leading expert and researcher on HIV/AIDS among African-Americans, at the daylong health summit: "Disparities in Health: Community Solutions". The primary culprit according to Jordan is denial among black men who have sex with men. Being bi-sexual or gay is not an option, so black men are having sex with other men "under the radar" and then they go home and infect their female partners by having unprotected sex. Read more about this troubling trend in this article provided by Black News Online.
I do want to make a point that is the 7th annual National Black HIV/AIDS AWARENESS Day not the 7th annual National Black HIV/AIDS ACCUSATION Day. It is time to educate ourselves instead of standing in judgement of someone’s lifestyle. We need to educate our children to the dangers of unprotected sex. But more than that, we need to gain some self respect as a people. We are worthy of living healthy, prosperous lives. Until we realize that, we will be content to accept whatever comes our way … even if it kills us.
Check these websites for infomation and education. The life you save, may be yours!
Link One!
Link Two!
Link Three!
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