Private MD News

HIV rate high among African American women in six cities

Category: HIV

African American women living in one of six areas around the U.S. may want to consider STD testing to ensure that do not have HIV. New research indicates that rates of the condition are significantly higher among this population in certain "hot spots."

HIV infection is known to be a problem among African American women, regardless of where they live. However, researchers from Columbia University found that the condition is up to five times more common in Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Baltimore, Newark, New York City and Washington, D.C.

"This study confirms that black women in these U.S. hotspots have disproportionately been affected by HIV. While we have made significant progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment, our way forward must include prevention efforts tailored for these communities that are severely affected," said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, who led the study.

He added that African American women receive about 66 percent of new HIV diagnoses among women, despite making up a relatively small portion of the female population. The prognosis for a black woman infected with the condition is not good, as mortality rates are 15 times higher than they are among white women.