February 7^th is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  Approaching its 11^th year, this is a day to recognize the importance of promoting awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis in our communities.  It focuses on education, testing, involvement and treatment.

HIV is a crisis in African American communities, threatening the health, well-being and potential of African American men and women across the United States.  While prevention efforts have helped to maintain stability in the overall level of HIV infection among African Americans for more than a decade, African Americans continue to face the most severe burden of HIV and AIDS of all racial/ethnic groups in the nation.  We cannot allow this crisis to continue (CDC Fact Sheet, October 2010).

While the proportion of newly reported HIV cases in Florida among adult blacks, ages 13 and over, decreased from 2000 through 2009, the rates remain significantly higher than those among whites or Hispanics. For 16 years, HIV has been the leading cause of death for both black men and women between the ages of 25 and 44.  In 2008, HIV dropped to the 3^rd leading cause of death for black men but remains the leading cause of death for black women in this age group.

Silence is Death.

Break the silence by:

·         Raising awareness about HIV/AIDS among blacks;

·         Encouraging everyone to be tested for HIV;

·         Increasing youth involvement in HIV community planning, decision making and HIV prevention programming;

·         Reducing barriers to HIV testing, prevention and care by reducing the stigma of HIV and AIDS; and

·         Disseminating information on the health benefits of condoms and other risk reduction measures.

Know Your Status. Get Tested. Protect Your Baby.

Source: The Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet, HIV/AIDS among Blacks, 2009.