Official Says ‘Down Low’ Men Not Responsible for High HIV Rates Among Black Women

[ccharles000]

Heterosexual black men with multiple sex partners - not bisexual men who secretly have sex with men - are responsible for high rates of HIV among black women, according to a senior CDC official. “We have looked to see what proportion of infections is coming from male partners who are bisexual and found there are actually relatively few,” said Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention. “More are male partners who are having female partners and are injecting drugs or using drugs or have some other risks that may put those female partners at risk of acquiring HIV.”

Black women make up 61 percent of all new HIV cases among women in the United States and have an HIV prevalence rate nearly 18 times that of white women. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death for black women ages 25-34, and 80 percent of new cases are contracted through heterosexual contact. “What we’re seeing is a concentration of the epidemic among the poor, among ethnic minorities and racial minorities in the United States,” Fenton said.


Even among gay men, blacks are disproportionately affected by the disease. For gay and bisexual men, new HIV infections among blacks and Hispanics outnumber those among white gay men, Fenton said. The spread of HIV/AIDS among African-American teenagers concerns health officials. Black teenagers account for 69 percent of new cases among those ages 13-19, while making up only 13 percent of the nation’s teenage population overall. The CDC in May launched the Act Against AIDS campaign to reduce HIV incidence in the United States, and it will especially address HIV among African Americans. As part of the campaign, CDC established five-year partnerships with 14 national black organizations. The initiative includes grants to organizations to hire AIDS coordinators and carry out AIDS outreach efforts.

http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/display/NewsDisplay.asp?NewsNbr=54078

[thereismore]

1. Why such disproportionate numbers for whites and non-whites? Seriously. nt

[Warpy]

2. I'm delighted they finally admitted this

Maybe it'll start to decrease some of the rabid homophobia I've seen in that community.

Most of the HIV infected women of color I've cared for were married to the partner who infected them and unaware of his affairs or even of his occasional "chipping" at recreational IV drug abuse. Very few were hookers and none had bisexual partners.

[paulsby]

4. this is also a reason why

needles (syringes) should be over the counter. they are in my state, but they are prescription only items in many states, which causes addicts to be more likely to hang on to dirty needles.

heck, even in states WITH OTC syringes, many do hang on to the same needle, and that's ridiculous but true

requiring a script for needles condemns many people, including people who aren't even using drugs (like partners of somebody who contract HIV), to illness and/or death.

it's simply insane.

[scoutalet]

3. Its a conspiracy

First gays, then blacks, its their way of giving toxic drugs to undesirable groups to get rid of them. http://www.conspiracyfriendfinder.com/

[bigwillq]

5. Hello.

Welcome to DU. :hi: