Merick's Corner: Black HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY

 

 Hello Everyone and Welcome to Merick's Corner... Today is a special day here at the Corner because all of us celebrating African American History Month join a special cause today and send the message to everyone who is Black, White, or what ever color or heritage you are its time to get tested. We here at the Corner always Preach the Practice of safer sex and to get tested for HIV/AIDS... Februrary 7th, 2012 marks the 12th year for the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a national HIV testing and treatment initiative targeted at Blacks within the United States and the Dispora. African American women represents the fastest group of individuals infected with HIV in the USA. The focus is on education, testing, involvement, and treatment. NBHAAD is working with communities towards a Black AIDS Free Generation. Take action where you live at your corner. Get tested. Be safe. Be safe. Volunteer. Be a Leader. Speak. Teach. Donate. Get involve. For more information visit: 
http://www.blackaidsday.org/
  

WHEN IT COMES TO HIV/AIDS, THE FAMOUS SAYING OF WHEN WHITE AMERICA HAS A COLD - BLACK AMERICA HAS THE FLURINGS TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS DISEASE AS WELL. EVERY YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES, SINCE THE EPIDEMIC BEGAN IN 1981, BLACKS HAVE BEEN DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY HIV/AIDS

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MORE THAN ANY OTHER RACIAL/ETHNIC GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES, BLACKS ACCOUNT FOR MORE NEW HIV INFECTIONS, AIDS CASES, PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE LIVING WITH HIV DISEASE, AND HIV RELATED DEATHS. EVEN THOUGH BLACKS MAKE UP 13% OF THE US POPULATION, WE ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT HALF (49%) OF THE PEOPLE WHO GET HIV AND AIDS. BLACKS DON'T LIVE AS LONG AS PEOPLE OF OTHER RACES AND ETHNIC GROUPS WITH AIDS, DUE TO A MULTIPLE LEVEL OF BARRIERS (I.E. POVERTY, STIGMA, ETC.). BLACKS HAVE MORE DEATHS DUE TO HIV/AIDS THAN ANY OTHER RACIAL/ETHNIC GROUP.

 

BY RACE/ETHNICITY, AFRICAN AMERICANS FACE THE  MOST SEVERE BURDEN OF HIV IN THE UNITED STATES (US). AT THE END OF 2007, BLACKS ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST HALF (46%) OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF HIV INFECTION IN THE 37 STATES AND 5 US DEPENDENT AREAS WITH LONG-TERM, CONFIDENTIAL, NAME-BASED HIV REPORTING. IN 2006, BLACKS ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY HALF (45%) OF NEW INFECTIONS IN THE 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. EVEN THOUGH NEW HIV INFECTIONS AMONG BLACKS OVERALL HAVE BEEN ROUGHLY STABLE SINCE THE EARLY 1990S, COMPARED WITH MEMBERS OF OTHER RACES AND ETHNICITIES BLACKS CONTINUE TO ACCOUNT FOR A HIGHER PROPORTION OF CASES AT ALL STAGES OF HIV—FROM NEW INFECTIONS TO DEATHS. 

ACCORDING TO THE CDC, IN 2008, AN ESTIMATED 18,328 BLACKS RECEIVED AN AIDS DIAGNOSIS, A NUMBER THAT HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE SINCE 2005. BY THE END OF 2007, AN ESTIMATED 233,624 BLACKS WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF AIDS HAD DIED IN THE US AND 5 DEPENDENT AREAS. IN 2006, HIV WAS THE NINTH LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR ALL BLACKS AND THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR 

BOTH BLACK MEN AND BLACK WOMEN AGED 35–44.

BELOW REPRESENTS A NUMBER OF THE MANY CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO PREVENTING HIV IN BLACK COMMUNITIES, NONE OF WHICH ARE INSURMOUNTABLE WHEN WE HAVE A DEDICATED VILLAGE OF BLACK MEN, WOMEN AND TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS COMMITTED TO SAVING EVERY BLACK LIFE AT RISK


So we here at Merick's Corner is asking everyone to take a stand in getting tested, know your status and Practice Safer Sex Always...So we here at the Corner join the campaign. This is your time... to follow more of the interactive Blog look for us on Facebook and Twitter just by looking up MerickF.... 




BE SAFE & GET TESTED NOW!!!!