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
| # Cases | Rate | African American/ White Ratio | |
| African American males | 9,859 | 60.9 | 7.8 |
| White males | 6,542 | 7.8 | |
| African American females | 2,965 | 16.4 | 10.9 |
| White females | 1,289 | 1.5 | |
| African American (total, all ages) | 12,856 | 31.0 | 7.8 |
| White (total, all ages) | 7,843 | 4.0 |
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
| # Cases | Rate | |
| African American | 32 | 0.4 |
| White | 12 | 0.0 |
| Total Population | 57 | 0.1 |
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 American | 12,856 | 42.2 |
| White | 7,843 | 25.8 |
| Total Population | 30,403 |
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 American | 1,038 | 430,015 | 40.1 |
| White | 155.5 | 305,956 | 28.5 |
| Total Population | 321.9 | 1,072,051 |
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
| # Cases | Rate | African American/ White Ratio | |
| African American males | 4,466 | 27.6 | 8.1 |
| White males | 2,883 | 3.4 | |
| African American females | 1,899 | 10.5 | 15.0 |
| White females | 596 | 0.7 | |
| African American (both sexes) | 6,365 | 18.6 | 9.3 |
| White (both sexes) | 3,479 | 2.0 |
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 American | 527,795 | 40.0 |
| White | 447,525 | 33.9 |
| Total Population | 1,320,364 |
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 Americans | White | African American/ White Ratio | |
| Men | 33.5 | 5.6 | 6.0 |
| Women | 13.8 | 0.9 | 15.3 |
| Total Population | 19.1 | 2.8 | 6.8 |
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
| # Deaths2020 | Rate2020 | Cumulative # Deaths* | % of Total Cases | |
| African Americans | 6,018 | 17.6 | 311,902 | 40.0 |
| White | 4,079 | 2.4 | 297,177 | 38.1 |
| Total Population | 13,875 | 5.0 | 780,579 |
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 Black | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Black/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Ever tested | 62.7 | 40.7 | 1.5 |
| Never tested | 37.3 | 59.3 | 0.6 |
Source: CDC 2022. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2018. Table A-20a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/SHS/tables.htm
Last Edited: 09/21/2023