Racial/Ethnic Disparities Persist In HIV’s Impact On Homosexual Men - HIV Continues To Hit Black And Hispanic Men Harder Than Their White Counterparts

April 27, 2007 – 4:26 pm | posted in HIV / AIDS, Sexual Health / STDs

A study of HIV diagnosis rates from 2001¬ - 2004 for gay and bisexual men found that among all age groups, rates were higher among black and Hispanic men than among white men, as was the proportion in which AIDS had developed within three years. In addition, black men who have sex with men (MSM) were significantly less likely to be alive 3 years after AIDS diagnosis (80.6 percent) than were Hispanic (85.2 percent) or white (84.5 percent) MSM. The study’s authors said the poorer outcomes for minority men might be tied to later diagnosis or lack of adequate access to treatment.

For all MSM, HIV diagnosis rates climbed the highest among younger age groups: 14 percent among those ages 13 - 19, 13 percent for those ages 20 - 24. The study’s authors said HIV intervention programs should "be tailored to the needs and behavioral context of black and Hispanic youth for effective prevention, and to address stigma, distrust and health literacy to improve access to HIV prevention and care."

(From: "Racial/Ethnic and Age Disparities in HIV Prevalence and Disease Progression Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States." H. Irene Hall, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga.)

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health. More information is available at www.apha.org.

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