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HIV/AIDS and African Americans

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 2019, African Americans were 8.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the white population.
  • African American males have 8.4 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 6.4 times as likely to die from HIV infection as non-Hispanic white men.
  • African American women are 14.5 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, 2019

 
# Cases
Rate
African American/
White Ratio
African American males
11,489
71.7
8.1
White males
7,498
8.9
 
 
African American females
3,810
21.3
12.5
White females
1,508
1.7
 
 
African American (total, all ages)
15,334
37.3
8.1
White (total, all ages)
9,013
4.6
 

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019, v.32. Tables 1a and 3a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-32.pdf [PDF | 19.7MB]

 

HIV Infection Cases and Rates (Children <13 years)

Estimated number of diagnosed cases and rates (per 100,000) of HIV infection, 2019

 
# Cases
Rate
African American
35
0.5
White
7
0.0
Total Population
61
0.1

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019, v.32. Table 2a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-32.pdf [PDF | 16.7MB]

 

HIV Infection Cases (Adults and Children)

Estimated number of cases of HIV infection by year of diagnosis, 2019

 
# Cases
% of Total Cases
African American
15,334
42.1
White
9,013
24.7
Total Population
36,398
 

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019, v.32. Table 1a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-32.pdf [PDF | 19.7B]

 

Estimated number of persons living with HIV infection and rates (per 100,000) by year, 2019

 
Rate
# Cases
% of Total Cases
African American
1,027.5
422,481
40.4
White
153.9
303,701
29.0
Total Population
318.4
1,044,977
 

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019, v.32. Table 16a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-32.pdf [PDF | 19.7MB]

 

AIDS Cases and Rates (Adults)

Estimated number of cases and rates (per 100,000) of AIDS, 2019
 
# Cases
Rate
African American/
White Ratio
African American males
5,108
31.9
8.4
White males
3,190
3.8
 
 
African American females
2,157
12.0
15.0
White females
685
0.8
 
 
African American (both sexes)
7,265
21.4
9.3
White (both sexes)
3,875
2.3
 

Source: CDC 2021. NCHHSTP Atlas Plus.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/atlas/index.htm [Accessed 06/16/2021]

 

Estimated number of cases of AIDS by year of diagnosis, 2019

 
Cumulative # Cases*
% of Total Cases
African American
520,919
39.8
White
444,613
34.0
Total Population
1,307,283
 

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019. Slide Set: HIV Infection, Stage 3 (AIDS) 2019. Slide 43.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/slidesets/cdc-hiv-infection-stage-3-2019.pdf [PDF | 6.6MB]

 

Death Rate

HIV infection death rates per 100,000 population. 2019

 
African Americans
White
African American/
White Ratio
All ages, Men
28.4
5.0
5.7
All ages, Women
11.6
0.8
14.5
 
Total Population
16.1
2.5
6.4

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019, v.32. Table 12a.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-surveillance-report-2018-updated-vol-32.pdf[PDF | 19.7MB ]

 

AIDS Deaths

Estimated number of deaths, and death rates, of persons with AIDS by year of death, 2019
 
# Deaths 2019
Rate 2019
Cumulative # Deaths*
% of Total Cases
African Americans
5,099
15.0
306,003
39.9
White
3,637
2.1
293,444
38.3
Total Population
11,899
4.3
766,380
 

Source: CDC 2021. NCHHSTP Atlas Plus
https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/atlas/index.htm [Accessed 06/16/2021]

Source: CDC 2021. HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2019. Slide Set: HIV Infection, Stage 3 (AIDS) 2019. Slide 43.
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/slidesets/cdc-hiv-infection-stage-3-2019.pdf [PDF | 6.6MB]

 

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
62.8
39.9
1.6
Never tested
37.2
60.1
0.6

Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: 2018. Table A-20a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/SHS/tables.htm

 

* Cumulative data are from the beginning of the epidemic through 2019.
Last Modified: 7/8/2021 10:07:00 AM

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