HIV/AIDS and African Americans

What is HIV/AIDS?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). There is currently no effective cure. Once people get HIV, they have it for life. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. People with HIV who get effective HIV treatment can live long, healthy lives and protect their partner.

How Does HIV/AIDS affect African American Populations?

  • Although Black/African Americans represent almost 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 42.1 percent of HIV infection cases in 2019.
  • In 2020, African Americans were 7.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the white population.
  • African American males have 8.1 times the AIDS rate as compared to white males.
  • African American females have 15 times the AIDS rate as compared to white females.
  • African American men are 6.0 times as likely to die from HIV infection as non-Hispanic white men.
  • African American women are 15.3 times as likely to die from HIV infection as white women.

HIV Infection Cases and Rates (Adults)

Estimated number of diagnosed cases and rates (per 100,000) of HIV infection, 2020

 # CasesRateAfrican American/
White Ratio
African American males9,85960.97.8
White males6,5427.8 
 
African American females2,96516.410.9
White females1,2891.5 
 
African American (total, all ages)12,85631.07.8
White (total, all ages)7,8434.0 

Note: Data for 2020 should be interpreted with caution due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to HIV testing, care-related services, and case surveillance activities in state/local jurisdictions.

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020, v.33. Tables 3a and 3b.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

HIV Infection Cases and Rates (Children <13 years)

Estimated number of diagnosed cases and rates (per 100,000) of HIV infection, 2020

 # CasesRate
African American320.4
White120.0
Total Population570.1

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020, v.33. Table 2a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

HIV Infection Cases (Adults and Children)

Estimated number of cases of HIV infection by year of diagnosis, 2020

 # Cases% of Total Cases
African American12,85642.2
White7,84325.8
Total Population30,403

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020, v.33. Table 1a. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

Estimated number of persons living with diagnosed HIV infection and rates (per 100,000) by year, 2020

 Rate# Cases% of Total Cases
African American1,038430,01540.1
White155.5305,95628.5
Total Population321.91,072,051

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020, v.33. Table 15b.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

AIDS Cases and Rates (Adults)

Estimated number of cases and rates (per 100,000) of AIDS, 2020

 # CasesRateAfrican American/
White Ratio
African American males4,46627.68.1
White males2,8833.4 
 
African American females1,89910.515.0
White females5960.7 
 
African American (both sexes)6,36518.69.3
White (both sexes)3,4792.0 

Source: CDC 2022. NCHHSTP Atlas Plus.
https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/nchhstpatlas/tables.html [Accessed 12/13/2022]

Estimated number of cases of AIDS by year of diagnosis, 2020

 Cumulative # Cases*% of Total Cases
African American527,79540.0
White447,52533.9
Total Population1,320,364

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020. Slide Set: HIV Infection, Stage 3 (AIDS) 2022.  https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

Death Rate

HIV infection death rates per 100,000 population forpersons >=13 years, 2020

 African AmericansWhiteAfrican American/
White Ratio
Men33.55.66.0
Women13.80.915.3
 
Total Population19.12.86.8

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020, v.33. Table 12a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2020-updated-vol-33.pdf [PDF | 6.0 MB]

AIDS Deaths

Estimated number of deaths, and death rates, of persons with AIDS by year of death, 2020

 # Deaths2020Rate2020Cumulative # Deaths*% of Total Cases
African Americans6,01817.6311,90240.0
White4,0792.4297,17738.1
Total Population13,8755.0780,579

Source: CDC 2022. NCHHSTP Atlas Plus
https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/nchhstpatlas/tables.html [Accessed 12/13/2022]

Source: CDC 2022. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2020. Slide Set: HIV Infection, Stage 3 (AIDS) 2020. Slide 4
 https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/slidesets/cdc-hiv-slideset-stage-3-infection-2020.pdf [PDF | 1.0MB]

HIV Testing

Age-adjusted percent of HIV testing status among persons 18 years of age and over, 2018

 Non-Hispanic BlackNon-Hispanic WhiteNon-Hispanic Black/
Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Ever tested62.740.71.5
Never tested37.359.30.6

Source: CDC 2022. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2018. Table A-20a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/SHS/tables.htm