African-Americans now account for majority of U.S. HIV cases

For the first time in the history of the U.S. AIDS epidemic, African-Americans represent more than half of all new HIV infections, The Wall Street Journal reports. African-Americans accounted for 54% of the estimated 43,000 new U.S. HIV infections in 2002, up from 35% of new cases in 1993. In 2001 AIDS became the leading cause of death for blacks ages 25-44. AIDS activists say the new data show that prevention programs and messages specifically targeted at African-Americans--both men who have sex with men and heterosexuals--are desperately needed. AIDS among blacks "requires an approach and leadership that is distinctly different in its emphasis from what the government is doing now or has been doing for years," Phill Wilson, founder of the Black AIDS Institute and a columnist for HIV Plus magazine told the Journal. In particular, he says, efforts need to be made to counter the stigma of AIDS and homosexual behavior in the African-American community, a task he says will not be easy. "For too long, important parts of the black community have acted as if this problem didn't exist or shouldn't be discussed," Wilson told the Journal. "If we want the nation to pay attention, we have to make this, just like gay activists did in the '80s, our major concern."