Life
CDC targets African-American women for HIV testing
One of the hardest part of addressing the HIV/AIDS issue is having the conversation about getting tested, knowing one’s status and practicing safer sex, especially when the people involved have pledged themselves to a monogamous relationship.
Failure to have that conversation, along with other health factors, are instrumental in the high rate of HIV/AIDS among African-American women.
To address the problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched “Take Charge, Take the Test,” a 10-city campaign to increase HIV testing and awareness among African-American women.
According to the CDC, nearly one in 30 black women will become infected with HIV in her lifetime. Black women do not engage in more risky behaviors than other women, but a complex range of social and environmental factors place them at greater risk for HIV.