REPORT: American Black Gay Men Face World's Highest Risk of HIV

Very disturbing news. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has impacted Black gay and bisexual men in the United States on a scale "unseen among any other" demographic" in the developed world, according to a new report from the Black AIDS Institute issued on the eve of the 19th International AIDS Conference.

The crisis is so severe in some American cities that "one in two Black men who have sex with other men are HIV positive," according to the new report "Back of the Line: The State of AIDS Among Black Gay Men in America."

Black MSM account for 1 in 500 Americans, but represent nearly 1 in 4 new HIV infections. Black MSM are also significantly less likely to be alive three years after being diagnosed with AIDS than are white or Latino MSM. By the age of 25, Black gay men have a 1 in 4 chance of becoming infected with HIV.

The Black AIDS Institute also ranked 25 cities to determine which address the HIV-related needs of Black MSM most effectively, and which do not. Among the best are Washington, DC; New York, NY; and Los Angeles, CA. Gary, IN tops the worst city list followed by Memphis, TN and Richmond, VA.

"Black MSM continue to be first in line when it comes to need, but remain at the back of the line when it comes to assistance," said Phill Wilson, Founder and Executive Director of the Black AIDS Institute. "This report not only highlights the gaps and why they still exist after 30 years, but it also provides a blueprint for how to close the gaps and move those most at risk up to the front."

HIV/AIDS rates are rising the fastest among Black and Black gay/bi men in the South and Southeast, according to recent data. Those states are predominately poorer than the rest of the country—and the state governments are overwhelmingly Republican and against expanding health care access.

Phill Wilson criticizes the response from the Black community and the larger gay community in an interview with AFP:

Wilson attributed part of the problem to the black community's slow response in the early days of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, when it was already wrestling with poverty, unemployment and the spread of crack cocaine.

Wilson also faulted mainstream gay rights groups for putting the HIV-AIDS crisis on the back burner, now that it is no longer a pressing issue for affluent gays in big cities whose bigger concern today is marriage equality. "There are almost no national LGBT organizations today that give a rat's ass about the lives of black gay men as they are impacted by HIV-AIDS, and that's disgraceful," he said.

The epicenter of the domestic HIV epidemic remains in Black America. Blacks represent only 12% of the nation’s population but account for 44% of all new HIV infections, according to the Centers for Disease Controls.

There has been a soaring number of seroconversions among Black men who have sex with men.  The trend has been particularly “alarming” among Black MSM aged 13 to 19, according to the CDC. New infections have increased by 48 percent between 2006 and 2009. Black poz MSM are also least likely to be aware of their status—59 percent unaware vs.  26 percent for white MSM. The numbers for positive younger Black MSM are even more startling: 71 percent are unaware of their infection.

See our recent series "Reversing the Alarming HIV Increase Among Black Gay Men Part 1" and "Part 2", as well as "What Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Could Mean for Black Gay and Bi Men" and "Clinical Trials Show PrEP Reduces Heterosexual HIV Transmission" that were syndicated by the Black AIDS Institute across Black print and web properties.

Some Background:
SF First City to Offer PrEP to Gay Men
Leading HIV Groups Call on FDA to Approve PrEP
Preparing for PrEP
"Alarming Increase" in HIV Young Black Gay Men
Daily Drug Reduces HIV Transmission
HIV a Rite of Passage for Young Black Gay Men?
1 in 3 Black Gay Men HIV Positive; 60% Unaware
"Alarming" HIV Rates Young Blk Gay Men in Miss.
CDC: 42% Black Gay Men in Milwaukee are HIV+
HIV "Epidemic" Among Black Gay Chicago Men
CDC: Young Black Gays Hit Hardest by HIV Infections
What PrEP Could Mean for Black Gay Men

Comments

[hhj]

i just don't understand, as much info. out here about this disease, how are "we" still the highest, yet we only account for only 12-14 percent of the entire U.S. population?? that seems off, and I'm wondering how factual it is, because they always blow out of proportion statistics about blacks, we are more likely to be this or that. Not saying that the numbers are not true, but how true are they?? @AJ: God bless you, i was the same, never one to have allot of anal, but very much oral w/many diff. men in the d.c. area back in the late 80's and 90's, but i was fortunate to test negative. i wish that you had too, your outlook is very refreshing, may God keep you for many days/years/decades on this earth. . .

[Ron]

I live in MD and have been attending the conference this week. I will be beginning my PhD in a couple years and I'm pretty sure my dissertation is going to be somehow related to HIV/AIDS among Black and Latino gay male youth between the ages of 16-24.

After hearing this, I think I may make it exclusively Black gay males. I don't think people realize the gravity of these numbers. I was recently told by a 20 y/o Latino friend of mine (who I more so look at like the brother I never wanted as a kid but wish I had now) that he was HIV+ He thinks he got it from a guy who raped him but doesn't know for sure (thus meaning he wasn't always safe). I was devastated. As interested as I am in doing research and writing about gay/MSM Black youth and HIV/AIDS and as much as I hear about it, I've never had someone this close to me reveal their diagnosis.

Fortunately for him he is very on top of his medicine and is at an undetectable level. However, since he is honest about his status it has really limited his dating life. Many negative guys his age don't want to be involved with a + guy and the only + guys he's met are much older. It sucks. As scandalous as I was when I went to college, I need to be on my hands and knees thanking God I didn't leave that place with an STD.