National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day set for February 7 (15032)

Monday, February 7, marks the fifth annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, sponsored by the Community Capacity Building Coalition, a consortium of minority AIDS and health groups. The day aims to build awareness of HIV's disproportionate impact among African-Americans, urge at-risk blacks to get tested for HIV antibodies, and support HIV prevention efforts aimed at minority communities.

Although African-Americans account for only about 14% of the U.S. population, they make up more than half of all new HIV cases diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 70% of all U.S. women who test positive for HIV infection are African-American. Black women also have an HIV prevalence rate 19 times higher than white women. African-American men had an HIV prevalence rate seven times higher than white men.

"If we increase the dialogue and get everyone involved, we will be able to galvanize our communities to take action and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS," says John Robertson, executive director of the National Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council.

Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day events are being held in cities throughout the country, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. For more information about local events, go online to www.blackaidsday.org.