To coincide with World AIDS Day, the CDC has issued a new report on the state of the HIV epidemic in the US. It contains some good news, like infection rates in gay/bi men falling 8% in the last decade.
However, things could be a lot better. Gay and bi men account for two-thirds of all new HIV infections in the US, and although new infections “decreased significantly among White” men who have sex with men [MSM], they decreased very little among “Black or African American (Black) MSM and Hispanic/Latino MSM.”
The wide disparity in HIV infection rates between ethnic groups is not new. In 2016, a CDC report said 50% of gay, Black American men would likely become HIV positive during their lifetime. That compared to 1 in 11 White gay men. Five years later, infection rates have fallen for White gay men, but not for other ethnic groups.
Related: CDC: Half Of Gay Black Americans Will Get HIV
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The new report found HIV-positive Black gay/bi men less likely to have received a diagnosis (83% compared to 90% of White gay/bi men). They were also less likely to be virally suppressed.
Black and Hispanic/Latino HIV-negative men were less likely to take PrEP or talk with their health provider about the medication. Taken daily, PrEP greatly reduces the chances of HIV infection.
The CDC also said falls in infection rates were not uniform across all ages. Although most age groups saw a drop, those aged 25-34 saw a rise in rates. That group saw a rise in infections from 6,700 in 2010 to 10,000 in 2019.
The CDC concluded, “Longstanding inequities in access to and delivery of needed services among some racial/ethnic and age groups … have persisted despite focused efforts to prevent HIV in these populations for decades. Efforts to reduce these and other disparities must address their root causes, including systemic racism, stigma, discrimination, homophobia, poverty, homelessness, and unequal access to care and prevention services.”
In a media briefing about the report, Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention, said, ”It’s clear that persistent factors, like discrimination, healthcare access and use, education, income, housing and transportation are contributing to continuing HIV disparities and standing in the way of our goals.
“To end the HIV epidemic, we will need to address the systemic factors that turn health differences into public health injustice.”
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The Trump administration previously pledged to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. Those in the field take this to mean a 90% reduction in infections. The Biden administration has vowed to continue with this goal.
For this to happen, the CDC says 95% of those living with the virus must be diagnosed and virally suppressed. It says more needs doing to encourage all sexually active gay/bi men to get an annual HIV test.
It also wants at least 50% of sexually-active HIV-negative gay and bi men on PrEP. That compares to around 30% at the moment.
Unsurprisingly, it says much of the focus must be on the communities most at risk.
“Intensified and innovative efforts to expand access to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services for MSM, particularly Black MSM, Hispanic/Latino MSM, and younger MSM, are required to decrease health disparities and reduce new HIV infections.”
Related: Good Morning America’s Tony Morrison on living with HIV and going public about it
In a separate World AIDS Day development, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation marking the occasion. He acknowledged the inequalities stalling further progress.
“We are focused on addressing health inequities and inequalities and ensuring that the voices of people with HIV are at the center of our work to end the HIV epidemic globally,” he said.
“My Administration remains steadfast in our efforts to end the HIV epidemic, confront systems and policies that perpetuate entrenched health inequities, and build a healthier world for all people.
“My budget request includes $670 million to support the Department of Health and Human Services’ Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. Initiative — to reduce HIV diagnoses and AIDS-related deaths. My Administration has also strengthened the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS by adding members from diverse backgrounds who bring the knowledge and expertise needed to further our Nation’s HIV response.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first reports of AIDS by the CDC. During that time, 36 million people worldwide have died of HIV-related illness, including 700,000 Americans.
Fahd
This is appalling and heartbreaking. I suppose the current bureaucrats-in-charge, with their “long-term” non-solutions, are manifestations of the systemic racism which they seem to suggest that they wish someone out there would address, blah, blah, blah….
Where are the leaders, the wealthy POC, the modern-day GMHCs? Obviously, the current power structure isn’t going to fix this.
Openminded
Fahd, I don’t know for sure who is to blame, but yes, the current power structure has failed the public in this case and so many others. I have to work with environmental regulators at a state level in my business and if it wasn’t so tragic, it would be comical to be in my position where I am able to see that the bureaucracy has become so focused on maintaining their authority and financial support that they can’t even realize they have lost sight of the actual mission. Personally, I feel that the disproportionate HIV in POC is directly related to racism. I know that our local gov’t health department is fully staffed with White people. I can’t help but believe this is not an accident and it surely creates an environment where POC are either ignored or dismissed as not being as important as other patients.
GaysForTrump
OpenMinded. STFU. Stop with the blaming of white people. That’s not the root of the issue.
Have you considered how few POC enter the medical field? But yes, blame white people for that.
Prep is easily accessible. If POC choose not to take. Blame white people.
The sheer number of POC that don’t get tested regularly. Blame white people.
Because free HIV testing is racist. White people preventing POC from getting tested.
Yes, that’s it.
Have you not recognized the sheer number of DL POC…? Is it white peoples keeping them in the closet? Or the homophobic POC?
Go on Grindr. Rarely do black men show their face. Though quick to let others know of their BBC.
Until black men start feeling comfortable coming out and being true to their self then the HIV rate will continue to remain high.
Openminded
Gays for Trump: Reading comprehension is important. I’m a white Republican, but even I can be honest enough to see how totally white run facilities can get a lackluster attitude for helping people of a different race. When only white people are running the facility(ies) then, YES, it is white peoples fault when POC are not actively informed of their access to free PREP, YES, it’s white peoples fault when POC are not actively informed of the need and availability of routing HIV screening, YES, it is white people’s fault when I myself, a white man, get a personal call from a white acquaintance at our local gov’t health dept. and get informed that if I can get there in the next couple of hours, I can get one of the first Covid vaccines they received even though I am not eligible under the current guidelines at that time. YES, it is this white man’s fault that, even though I didn’t accept the vaccine, I didn’t report this action by a paid gov’t employee like I should have. I try hard not to condemn POC in general but I don’t often wave a flag of support for them either. I could definitely do better on that. I do, however, keep myself openminded enough to see and know that inequalities exists and that the great majority of what POC are complaining about are valid complaints. I suppose your claim of disproportionate amounts of DL POC is likely valid and anyone who has read even an inkling of reports on that knows that the black community in general still has much higher bias against gay black men. I’ll agree that this is something the black community will have to work on themselves. That said, if the first items you listed were taken care of fairly and equally, it wouldn’t really matter if POC were DL or not. I’d also point out that “BBC” is overwhelmingly something white men and women are looking for, so one could argue “it’s the white man’s fault” on that too.
bivector
I know “both sides” (there’s way more than two sides, but that’s the phrasing we all use) are getting more extreme, but it’s exchanges like this that keep reminding me how much more sensible Republicans could be before Trump.
JoeFXX
Community involvement education outreach can fix a lot of the problem. Silence equals death. Don’t practice unsafe sex with your partner. End of story ??
bivector
I don’t know why these public health officials work so hard when they could have just contacted you and solved everything already.
Kangol2
I also blame our public and private educational systems which are still heavily in the thrall of abstinence-focused sex ed, or little to no sex ed at all, for teenagers. Yes, parents have a key role in educating young people about sex, federal and local public health officials need to step up much more, and yes, community organizations also play an important role, but better holistic, comprehensive, widespread education of teenagers about sex, including same sex activity, ways to have safe(r) sex, PrEP, etc., especially geared toward people of color, would go a long way to addressing this, as well as unwanted pregnancies, etc. Instead, we still have a right-wing patchwork left over from the 90s and early 2000s and it is leading to this tragic outcome.
AZ71
I just find it so hard to believe after 30+ years of this we still have no vaccine or nothing. It seems this new mRNA process could be something too which I have to believe they’ve researched somehow. I wish someone would ask Dr. Fauci about this.
bivector
Moderna has two mRNA HIV vaccines in clinical trials now (with IAVI, Scripps Research, and others). They’re working on it, and the global push around COVID helped speed things along.
jockjack5
There seems to be an over-abundance of frantic hand-wringing going on here, in both the comments and the article itself, trying to explain why POC have such a high incidence of HIV/AIDS within the United States.
There is, in reality, only ONE reason.
Behavior.
Specifically, the cultural phenomena of the “Down Low” practiced overwhelmingly by black men.
bivector
Oh well that solves it then.