Why are African Americans at greater risk for HIV infection?
There are a range of factors that place African Americans at greater risk for HIV, including a greater proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS in African American communities. This means African Americans face greater risk with every unprotected sexual encounter. The African American community also is greatly impacted by higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which may increase risk of HIV infection. Studies also show that various factors like poverty, discrimination and limited access to health care combine to make young Black men and women more vulnerable to HIV, increasing the likelihood of transmission.
