World AIDS Day 2010- Get Tested!

In honor of World AIDS Day 2010, the staff  at the Terminal encourages you to get tested to prevent contraction of HIV/AIDS. African Americans account for nearly half of all new infections in the country.

Here are a few statistics courtesy of the Center for Disease Control:

• In 2006, black men accounted for two-thirds of new infections (65%) among all blacks. The rate of new HIV infection for black men was 6 times as high as that of white men, nearly 3 times that of Hispanic/Latino men, and twice that of black women.
• In 2006, black men who have sex with men (MSM)² represented 63% of new infections among all black men, and 35% among all MSM. HIV infection rates are higher among black MSM compared to other MSM. More new HIV infections occurred among young black MSM (aged 13–29) than among any other age and racial group of MSM.
• In 2006, the rate of new HIV infection for black women was nearly 15 times as high as that of white women and nearly 4 times that of Hispanic/Latina women.
• At some point in their lifetimes, 1 in 16 black men will be diagnosed with HIV infection, as will 1 in 30 black women.
• From 2005–2008, the rate of HIV diagnoses among blacks increased from 68/100,000 persons to 74/100,000. This increase reflects the largest increase in rates of HIV diagnoses by race or ethnicity.

In 2010, the CDC announced a second 3-year expanded HIV testing program that supplements an initiative started in 2007 to increase HIV testing among African Americans. CDC is expanding the program to an additional five state, territorial, and metropolitan health departments. It also broadens the target population to include African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos, as well as MSM and injection drug users of any race/ethnicity. Funding for the program was increased from $36 million to approximately $62 million.

Get Tested and remember to WRAP IT UP!

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