HIV Infections in African American Males Essay

The term Human Immunodeficiency Virus is commonly known as (HIV), which is a virus that attacks the immune system of humans by destroying the amount of CD4 cells in their bodies. Without CD4 the human body is unable to fight against diseases, which can lead to Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome known as AIDS for short. The first case of the HIV/AIDS virus in the U.S. occurred in the early 1980’s. The first spark of the virus was found in San Francisco with couple of homosexual Caucasian American males. Today African Americans account for the largest proportion of HIV and AIDS in this country, represent approximately 13% of the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of new HIV infections in 2010(the last year a study was

African American young men are infected with HIV at an alarmingly high rate in comparison to other races. The negative stigmas that is attached to having HIV in the black community, especially for men can be extremely detrimental and harmful to their overall health. One stigma that was attached to having HIV was death, death was at one time believed to be imminent, and now HIV is about restructuring their lives to face the future (Buseh, Kelber, Stevens & Park, 2008, p.409), yet they still battle other stigmas surrounded around HIV.

​African-Americans are the ethnic group most affected by HIV/AIDS. Ironically african-americans represent 14% of the population of the United States , but represent 44% across the gender line. African-american men represent 70% of HIV infections among the ethnic group, however african-american women are also highly at risk of HIV infection. Indeed they have a rate of infection that is 15 times greater than the rate for caucasion women (HIV among African-Americans, 2012). Most African-american women (85%) are infected with HIV through heterosexual sex, often with partners, who claim to be

HIV/AIDS is a disease with social, psychological and physiological consequences for those impacted by the illness. The impact of HIV and AIDS among African American women has been devastating. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2010) reports that black women represent 29% of the estimated new HIV infections among all adult and adolescent African Americans and HIV/AIDS is the third leading cause of death for black women ages 25?44. Several

From 2005 to 2014, the number of new HIV diagnoses among young African American gay and bisexual men (aged 13 to 24) increased 87%. But that trend has leveled off recently, with the number declining 2% since 2010.6

Many people are unaware of their health status further increasing transmission of disease in young adult African American(AA) women age 18-24. Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) infects and also destroy blood cells (i.e. lymphocytes) that the body need to fight off infection (Mays 2011). African American women HIV positive, age 18-24 the magnitude of issue of the health disparity in this particular population will be addressed along with the many factors of social and health determinants. The health concern is towards the increase of transmission among young AA mothers and their children who are the health outcomes in many ways than one. The many social and health determinants that affect the women today are on going cycles that have yet to be broken. African American women make 64% of new infection cases for HIV. African american obtain a vulnerability unlike other minorities. The health population’s culture and stigma has played an important role in the community. The concern for AA women is the increase of new cases and most importantly the spread of the disease to these women’s children. The mortality rate of AA women with HIV is 47.1% as of 2012. (Siddiqi 2015)

Experts agree that understanding these statistics can help to make the claim that the HIV virus is a heterogeneous one; significantly affecting certain populations more than others. This is especially true for African Americans (Sorvillo 930). However, mere statistical evidence is not enough to effectively declare this a health inequity. Further research into the virus amongst the population must be explored.

Department of Health & Human Services the group of people who are disproportionately affected by HIV are African Americans Gay and Bisexual Men. From 2005 to 2014, diagnoses increased 22% among all African Americans Gay and bisexual men and 87% among young African Americans and gay and bisexual men. By the end of 2013, an approximation of 493,543 gay and bisexual men were living with the HIV infection. Of those, 152,303 (31%) were African American, 210,299 (43%) were white, and 104,529 (21%) were Hispanic/Latino (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2016). Socioeconomic factors limited access to quality health care, lower income and educational levels, and higher rates of unemployment and incarceration may place some African American gay and bisexual men at higher risk for HIV than men of some other races/ethnicities.

Some may argue that teaching kids about condoms will condone the activity and increase sex among teens. This is not true and many studies show it. One study shows that “New York City has a condom distribution program in place. Chicago does not. The sexual activity rates among high school students in the two cities demonstrate little difference” (Rich, Alex K.). Condoms do not encourage sex but offer a safer way to it. Teens have already chosen what they will do.

According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1.2 million individuals in the United States have HIV (about 14 percent of which are unaware of their infection and another 1.1 million have progressed to AIDS. Over the past decade, the number of HIV cases in the US has increased, however, the annual number of cases remains stable at about 50, 000 new cases per year. Within these estimates, certain groups tend to carry the burden of these disease, particularly the gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (MSM) and among race/ethnic groups, Blacks/African American males remain disproportionately affected. (CDC)

African Americans have worst health outcomes of all major racial, ethnic and demographic groups in the U.S. According to Gaston & Alleyne-Green (2013), an estimated 233,624 African Americans died from AIDS-related illness in 2007, yet they are less likely to receive antiretroviral medications, are more likely to report poor adherence to medication regimens, and have a disproportionally higher HIV-related morbidity and mortality rate than their White and Hispanic

The implementation of HIV prevention strategies such as Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a method in which individuals who practice risky behavior take a pill that will prevent them from becoming infected with HIV. Storytelling and new media activities is used to spark the interest of this population. “For example, Keep it Up! an interactive online program focused on healthy sexuality, relationships, and preventing HIV was recently found to be feasible and acceptable among diverse YMSM” (Macapagal, Birkett, Janulis, Garofalo, & Mustunski, 2017). Subsequently, there was an increase of condom use by the young men who participated in this program. The intervention program called Popular Opinion Leader (POL) focuses on training individuals such as the young African American (MSM) to encourage members of his community to practice safer and healthier sexual behavior

According to the CDC, one in eighty-five Mississippians will acquire HIV in their lifetime (Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). In 2015, there were 509 reported cases of HIV, of those cases 80% were African American and 30% were between the ages of 13-24 (Mississippi State Department of Health, 2016). As research demonstrates that the burden of HIV rests in the young African American community, the study will be conducted in four of the six HBCUs in Mississippi. Sites for recruitment of participants will include, Jackson State University (JSU), Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College and Mississippi

Since the HIV/AIDS epidemic began in the U.S. in the early 1980s the issue of sex education for American youth has had the attention of the nation. There are about 400,000 teen births every year in the U.S, with about 9 billion in associated public costs. STI contraction in general, as well as teen pregnancy, have put the subject even more so on the forefront of the nation’s leading issues. The approach and method for proper and effective sex education has been hotly debated. Some believe that teaching abstinence-only until marriage is the best method while others believe that a more comprehensive approach, which includes abstinence promotion as well as contraceptive information, is necessary. Abstinence-only program curriculums disregard

Condom distributions in high schools are being effective in some areas in the United States (U.S.). Currently, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) made a community and individual base intervention called Condom Distribution Programs (CDPs). This program is available for all ages and genders to have access to condoms. This program’s purpose is to promote, increase awareness, provide cost effective sexual health care (contraceptives, HIV/STI testing, and treatment), and decrease social stigma. Their success of the program is determined by seeing who is most at risk. Their goals are creating partnership with other