![57_news_rt_0](https://www.hivplusmag.com/media-library/57-news-rt-0.jpg?id=32676133&width=1200&height=800)
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Although African-American young adults on the whole take fewer sexual risks than their white counterparts, they have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV infection, so researchers who studied this paradox have recommended that health officials accordingly retool prevention strategies for black Americans. The study of over 8,700 non'Hispanic black and white men and women between 18 and 26--reported in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health--was conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Researchers sorted data about their population-representative sample according to their sexual risk-taking behavior and other cofactors, such as drug, alcohol, or tobacco use. They found that young black men and women who abstained from sex for the prior year and engaged in little or no alcohol or drug use were almost 25 times more likely to be infected with an STD, including HIV, than white individuals in the same category. Young African-Americans who had a few sexual partners and low use of alcohol or drugs were seven times more likely to be infected. 'If you think it's only the very risky groups that you need to target for intervention, then you're missing the boat completely among African-Americans,' warns study leader Denise Dion Hallfors. She explains that prevention tactics that focus on an individual's behavior may work for certain white populations, but risk of infection among black young adults is high even if they engage in supposedly low-risk behavior. Therefore, she has recommended a new public-health media campaign geared toward African-Americans in which free screenings and treatment are widely available in traditional as well as nontraditional settings, such as beauty shops or church functions. Teasing apart the precise reasons for these skewed rates is difficult, according to Hallfors. One factor contributing to the disparity is that people are more likely to engage in sex with members of their own race. Since the rate of infection is generally higher within black 'sexual networks,' there is a greater risk of exposure to HIV and other STDs. The rates might have begun to rise in the first place because HIV infection is less likely to be diagnosed and treated in black populations. Gregorio Millet, a behavioral scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wrote a paper in 2006 that similarly found that the rate of HIV infection is high among black men who have sex with men for reasons outside of taking sexual risks. He said epidemiologists should pull away from studying the sexual behavior of black men and look toward structural factors that contribute to the spread of STDs. These include the effects of incarceration on black inmates and their communities, and access to health care. 'Reducing the toll among African-Americans will require a comprehensive and sustained response,' Millet says. 'There are complex factors that we have to deal with: stigma, racism, denial, poverty. This requires a comprehensive approach where we have to have sustained partnerships between the government, community, community leaders, health care providers, and families.'
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood
March 13 2024 1:47 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
'Drag Race' star Q shares she's living with HIV
March 18 2024 3:08 PM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
La ciencia detrás de U=U ha estado liberando a las personas con VIH durante años
August 23 2024 2:48 PM
Tratamiento y prevención del VIH por inyección: Todo lo que necesita saber
August 23 2024 2:41 PM
Sr. Gay World quiere asegurarse de que estés bien
August 23 2024 2:30 PM
Eureka is taking a break from competing on 'Drag Race' following 'CVTW' elimination
August 20 2024 12:21 PM
With a new case in Sweden, what is the new mpox outbreak and should you be concerned?
August 15 2024 4:48 PM
The freedom of disclosure: David Anzuelo's journey through HIV, art, and advocacy
August 02 2024 12:21 PM
From ‘The Real World’ to real life: How Danny Roberts thrives with HIV
July 31 2024 5:23 PM
The July/Aug 'Treatment Guide' issue of Plus is here!
June 26 2024 3:49 PM
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM
Yes, HIV-positive people can safely breastfeed
June 26 2024 12:59 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Court rules to keep PrEP coverage under Obamacare
June 21 2024 5:42 PM
In honor of Juneteenth 2024, meet The Normal Anomaly
June 19 2024 1:39 PM
What is Juneteenth?
June 19 2024 11:30 AM