National Black HIV-AIDS Awareness Day
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: February 7, 2013
African-Americans account for over 40% of all new HIV infections, but
they're only 12% of the population. That's why the AIDS Community
Resource Prevention Department held an Outreach Event in honor of
National Black HIV-AIDS Awareness Day. Attendees could listen to
presentations, watch videos, and participate in an open forum about the
impact HIV has on communities of color in our area.
"A lot of times people don't know they've been infected with HIV. Your life expectancy is greatly increased with early detection and treatment and you're also reducing the risk of transmitting to anyone else very, very greatly," says Melissa Swald Camman, AIDS Community Resource Prevention Department.
And there are nearly 35,000 African-American New Yorkers living with HIV today; that's the highest number in any state in U.S.
"A lot of times people don't know they've been infected with HIV. Your life expectancy is greatly increased with early detection and treatment and you're also reducing the risk of transmitting to anyone else very, very greatly," says Melissa Swald Camman, AIDS Community Resource Prevention Department.
And there are nearly 35,000 African-American New Yorkers living with HIV today; that's the highest number in any state in U.S.
