HIV Statistics

CDC releases race-based estimates of lifetime risk for contracting HIV.
The AP (10/15) reports that data retrieved from "37 states and Puerto Rico" indicate that "one in 22 black Americans," one in 52 Hispanics/Latinos, and "one in 170" self-identifying white Americans will contract HIV in their lifetime.
According to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Hispanic/Latino men had about three times the lifetime risk Hispanic/Latino women had -- 2.80%, or one in 36, compared with 0.94%, or one in 106," MedPage Today (10/14, Smith) reported. "That male-female disparity was also seen in other ethnic and racial groups. For example, the respective rates among white men and women were 0.98% and 0.19% -- slightly less than a five-fold difference -- while among blacks the rates were 6.27% and 3.09%, about a twofold difference." Investigators pointed out that "many new infections among Hispanics/Latinos are associated with male-to-male sexual contacts."
In light of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, the CDC team "suggested a number of ways to lower the risk of HIV diagnosis among Hispanics," HealthDay (10/14, Preidt) reported. "These include an increased focus on culturally and linguistically appropriate intervention programs and increased access to HIV testing, prevention, care and treatment."