| HIV and AIDS are taking a devastating and unacceptable toll on black communities. Compared to other ethnic groups, the Centers for Disease Control has documented that African-Americans suffer from more infections, shorter survival times and more deaths from AIDS. As a spokesperson for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (February 7) I want to urge our communities to break the cycle of silence and denial surrounding this disease.
AIDS is not something that happens to other people. The rate of HIV/AIDS for African-Americans in 2005 was the highest for all racial and ethnic groups. Even though African Americans accounted for about 13% of the US population, they make up about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS.
Closer to home, Dallas ranks in the top 10 cities with the highest numbers of black female AIDS cases and in the top dozen cities with respect to male infections.
The battle plan for combating this deadly foe is deceptively simple:
Get tested, get educated, get involved and get treated.
Get tested:
Many new transmissions of HIV and AIDS occur because people who do not know their HIV status unknowingly pass the disease to others. Getting tested is the first step toward managing this disease. Advances in treatment have transformed this illness from the death sentence it was 26 years ago to a manageable, chronic condition. But early treatment is critical to prolonging life. And early testing is the gateway to getting necessary treatment.
To find free or low-cost testing available near you, call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636) 24-hours a day.
Get Educated:
Knowing how HIV is spread and the potential risk factors that affect you and your partners is the best way each of us can protect ourselves against AIDS. Men who have sex with men, men or women who share instruments for injecting drugs, and those infected with other sexually transmitted diseases (which allow AIDS an easier entry point into the body) are at the highest risk. Preventing the sexual exchange of body fluids (with condoms and dental dams for example) is the best way after abstinence to prevent transmission of the virus. You can get more information through the Texas AIDS hotline at 800-299-2437.
Get Involved:
Once you know your HIV status you can then be responsible to your partners and to your community. With partners, you must be honest and committed to using protection – every time you have sex - rather than risk exposure yourself or contribute to the spread of the disease. With friends and family, you can spread the prevention message and encourage them to get tested. You can also help decrease the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS by practicing compassion and understanding for those at risk and those fighting the disease. This is a community-wide problem, and only with a concerted, collective effort can we hope to lower infection rates.
Get treated:
Finally, should you be diagnosed with HIV and AIDS, the best way to preserve your health is by working closely with a doctor and counselor to manage your disease. Doctors can help you determine the correct combination of drugs to treat symptoms and slow the advance of the illness. They can also guide you in making decisions about dosage and managing side effects. Counselors experienced in helping AIDS sufferers can help you deal with the changes to your daily life and relationships. With caring medical professionals at the center of a community support system, treatment can lengthen your life and help you avoid unnecessary suffering.
Money is available to help Texans who cannot afford AIDS drugs get treatment. Application packets are available by calling 800-255-1090.
Ultimately, each of us has a role to play in fighting the appalling spread of HIV and AIDS in black communities. Whether you support someone who is infected, start an honest conversation about risk with a potential partner or replace myths about how AIDS is transmitted with accurate information, you can use this month where African-Americans contemplate their past to help ensure our future.
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