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Kaiser Family Foundation Survey Provides Insights Into Black
America's Attitudes about HIV/AIDS
While concerns remain, changes in behavior among Black Americans
offer reasons for hope.
A recent report by the Kaiser Family Foundation
finding that Americans' sense of urgency about HIV/AIDS has fallen
dramatically provides some insights into the AIDS epidemic in Black
America. "This report, on the heels of last month's report by the D.C.
office of AIDS showing a 4% HIV prevalence among Black residents in
Washington D.C. provides some context for the AIDS epidemic in Black
America," says Phill Wilson, CEO of the Black AIDS Institute. Last
August, the Institute released a report finding that if Black America
were a country on to itself, it would have the 16th largest epidemic in
the world. "Many indicators of urgency and concern are moving in the
wrong direction, including for higher risk groups," says Drew Altman,
President and CEO Kaiser Family Foundation.
"There is good news and not so good news in this survey", says
Wilson. "Fortunately, most of the not so good news we already knew and
are working on. For example, while the percentage of Black Americans who
have seen or read "a lot" or "some" about HIV/AIDS has declined, the
decline is not as great as the decline in other groups. This is a
tribute to the amazing job Black media is doing of keeping HIV/AIDS on
the radar in Black communities. Unfortunately it also speaks to the fact
that 58% of Black Americans know someone who is living with HIV/AIDS-38%
of those they know are a family member or close friend.
Key findings of the survey include:
- Black Americans believe we are not spending enough on the
domestic AIDS epidemic and spending matters.
- 68% of Black Americans believe the federal government is
spending too little on the domestic AIDS epidemic and 57% believe
the federal government is spending too little on the domestic AIDS
epidemic compared to other diseases.
- Two thirds of Black Americans believe spending more on
prevention and treatment would make meaningful progress toward
ending the AIDS epidemic.
- While there has been a decline in the sense of urgency about HIV
in Black America. The sense of urgency remains high.
- 65% of Black Americans feel AIDS is as urgent as or more urgent
in Black communities today than it was a few years ago.
- 34% of Black Americans believe we are losing ground in the fight
against AIDS.
- 51% of Black Americans are very or somewhat worried that they
will become HIV positive, and 80% are worried that one of their
children will get infected.
- Among Black Americans, aged 18 - 29, 40% are very or somewhat
concerned about getting infected with HIV.
- Black Americans are changing their behavior.
- 67% of Black Americans have spoken to a doctor about HIV, and
68% have spoken to a partner.
- 68% of Black Americans report having taken an HIV test compared
to 57% Hispanics/Latinos, and 42% of whites.
- 47% of Black Americans aged 18-29 have been tested in the last
12 months.
The Kaiser survey confirms what many Black AIDS activists have been
saying for a while: We have a long way to go toward ending the AIDS
epidemic in Black communities, but the stage has been set. Black people
are responding to the AIDS epidemic more than ever before. If you take
the Kaiser findings and combined them with lessons learned from the
latest D.C. surveillance report, you have a road map-create a mass Black
Mobilization focused on:
- Increasing HIV testing
- Increasing utilization of treatment
- Increasing condom usage
- Increase HIV knowledge
- Decreasing concurrent relationships
- Decreasing stigma
This new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation is an important piece
of the information puzzle needed to end the domestic AIDS epidemic. It
illustrates how complex the HIV/AIDS epidemic is, especially in Black
communities. It also helps us better understand where we need to focus
our energies. With a new commitment from the Obama Administration, and
new energy in Black communities, the time is right to see significant
changes in the trajectory of the AIDS epidemic in Black America.
The Black AIDS Institute is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank
in the United States focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute
offers training and capacity building, disseminates information,
interprets and recommends both private and public sector HIV/AIDS
policy, and provides advocacy and mobilization from a uniquely and
unapologetically Black point of view. |
