Resources for Entertainment Education Content Developers HIV and
African American Women What's the Problem? African American
women are disproportionately affected by HIV. Of all the women
living with AIDS in the U.S., 60% are African American and two
out of three African American women got HIV from having
unprotected sex with a man. In 2002, HIV/AIDS was the number 1
cause of death for African American women aged 25–34 years.
Studies show that African Americans are likely to get tested for
HIV late in the course of the disease. Late testing results in
missed opportunities for prevention and treatment of HIV. This
means that by the time many African American women are tested
for HIV, they already have AIDS―when it is too late to gain
optimal benefits from drug therapy. Who's at Risk? Anyone who
engages in risky behaviors, such as having unprotected sex
(especially with multiple partners) or sharing injection
equipment, is at risk of acquiring HIV. Because unprotected
heterosexual intercourse is the leading cau