PRINT PAGE | SEND TO A FRIENDHOME > ISSUES AND RESOURCES Black Women and HIV/AIDS Every 35 minutes, a woman tests positive for HIV in this country. Yet the impact of HIV among Black women and girls is even more startling. Nationally, Black women account for 66% of new cases of HIV among women. HIV/AIDS related illness is now the leading cause of death among Black women ages 25-34. As the national dialogue focuses on strategies for addressing the HIV epidemic in this country, the need is greater than ever for a heightened among Black women in HIV prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. What is HIV and what is AIDS? Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system and weakens a person’s ability to fight infections. HIV is the infection that can cause Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a complex set of diseases that occur when the body’s immune system has been weakened. HIV is transmitted through the exchange of blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk that is infected with HIV. Why is this important for Black women? HIV/AIDS infection among Black women is a complex mix of economic, social, cultural, biological, environmental, and behavioral factors.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:19:30 +0000
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