Aid a Friend: Spread the Message

Although National Black HIV/AIDs Awareness Day has passed, your consciousness shouldn’t. According to the CDC, African-Americans are the leading cause of all HIV/AIDs cases in the United States.

As of 2006, African-American men counted six times higher than white men for cases of new HIV infection, and African-American women counted nearly a whopping 15 times higher than white females.

Furthermore, from 2005-2008, the rate of HIV diagnoses rose from 68/100,000 to 74/100,000 making this number the largest increase of infection in a given ethnicity/race.

Seriously, what’s the buzz?

It is my belief that socioeconomic factors affect African-Americans harsher than other races, which contribute to high numbers. In other words: Poverty → poor housing → lack of healthcare → lack of education on prevention → not using protection or sharing of needles during drug use → infection spreads → fear (people will not seek help because they are afraid of others finding out) → death → HIGHER NUMBERS.

So what can we do? It’s simple: spread the message by educating yourself and others. 

Ways HIV is spread

*Sexual Intercourse

*Anal sex

*Oral Sex

*Injected drug use

*Blood transfusion

*Mother-to-child breast milk

Ways to prevent

*Abstinence: 100% proof against catching HIV/AIDs.

*Be in a monogamous relationship: Communicate with your partner and be honest about your sexual history. It can save your life and his/hers.

*Safe sex is unlike the rest: Any condom with spermicide for anal, vaginal or oral penetration. Lesbians may wish to use a dental dam, a thin latex square, for oral sex.

*If you work in healthcare: I’m pretty sure they drill this but you are at risk as well. Wearing medical latex or non-latex gloves when you come into contact with a patient’s urine, blood, or semen, or feces can protect you.

*Do not share needles: Ever!

*Stop with the stereotypes: HIV/AIDs doesn’t discriminate and neither should you.

*GET TESTED! If you are sexually active, you need to check your status, and more than once in a year.

Urstrulee,

KareemaBee

Spread Love. Live life. Be Inspired.

Source: CDC, Pic: Ithaca.edu

*I am not a physican or health professional. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. By reading this you understand & you release elleELLEeye from any warranty or liability for your use of this information. We are a blog created to spread love, live life and inspire readers to help themselves and others.