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June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. The program was started in 1995, by the National Association of People with AIDS due to the growing number of HIV infections in communities of color and other heavily impacted communities.
1.1 million Americans are living with HIV, and 21 percent of us don't know we've been infected. That's 52,000+ people who don't know they have HIV and 50,000 people who could be spreading the virus without ever knowing it. Don't be one of those 52,000+ people. Get tested!
HIV/AIDS isn't just a gay man's disease. Look at some data from the CDC:
- The rate of new HIV infection among Hispanic/Latina women is nearly four times that of white women.
- The rate of new HIV infection among Hispanic/Latino men is more than double that of white men.
- Hispanics/Latinos represent 13 percent of the population, but account for an estimated 17 percent of new infections.
- The rate of new HIV infection for black/African American women is nearly 15 times as high as that of white women, and nearly four times that of Hispanic women.
- Blacks/African Americans are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV. Blacks/African Americans represent approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population, but account for almost half of all new HIV infections.
- At some point in their life, 1 in 16 black/African American men will receive a diagnosis of HIV, as will one in 30 black women.
- HIV remains a significant cause of death for some populations. For example, in 2006, HIV was the third leading cause of death for black males and black females aged 35-44 and the fourth leading cause of death for Hispanic/Latino males and females in the same age range.
Every year, I look at these numbers, and every year I get just a little more freaked out about them. We need to be using condoms. We need to be getting tested. We need to work to get these numbers to come down.
Take the Test. Take Control.
Read More About HIV:
Have you been tested?
~Denise
BlogHer
Community Manager
Life. Flow. Fluctuate.
