Race, HIV/AIDS and the Drug War

(Persons Living with AIDS, by Race) According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at year-end 2009 there were an estimated total of 487,968 persons living with an AIDS diagnosis in the US and 6 dependent territories. Of these, 1,659 were American Indian/Alaska Native, 5,112 were Asian, 206,488 were Black/African-American, 106,396 were Hispanic/Latino, 481 were Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 160,402 were White, and 7,335 were multiple races.

(AIDS Cases by Transmission Method, Race, and Gender) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, at year-end 2009, of the 135,728 Non-Hispanic Black/African-American Male adults or adolescents living with AIDS in the US and 6 dependent territories, 65,947 (48.6% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 31,691 (23.3% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 10,992 (8.1% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 26,275 (19.3% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 822 (0.6%) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 68,250 Non-Hispanic Black/African-American Female adults or adolescents living with AIDS at year-end 2009, 19,357 (28.3% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 47,946 (70.3% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 947 (1.4% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 140,037 Non-Hispanic White Male adults or adolescents living with AIDS at year-end 2009, 109,181 (78% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 10,979 (7.8% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 13,205 (9.4% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 5,289 (3.8% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 1,382 (1% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 19,849 Non-Hispanic White Female adults or adolescents living with AIDS in 2009, 7,554 (38.1% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 11,817 (59.5% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 477 (2.4% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 82,658 Hispanic/Latino Males adults or adolescents living with AIDS in 2009, 47,745 (57.8% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 19,023 (23% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 6,027 (7.3% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 9,385 (11.4% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 478 (0.6% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 22,885 Hispanic/Latino Female adults or adolescents living with AIDS in 2009, 6,811 (29.8% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 15,670 (68.5% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 404 (1.8% of cases) were attributed to "other."

(Rates of AIDS Diagnoses by Race/Ethnicity, 2010) "From 2007 through 2010, the rate [of AIDS diagnoses] among American Indians/Alaska Natives increased. The rates among Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians/other Pacific Islanders, whites, and persons reporting multiple races decreased. The rates among Asians and blacks/African Americans remained stable. In 2010, the rates were 43.0 in the black/African American population, 13.7 in the Hispanic/Latino population, 13.7 in the population of persons reporting multiple races, 9.7 in the Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander population, 7.2 in the American Indian/Alaska Native population, 4.4 in the white population, and 3.5 in the Asian population."

(Persons Living with HIV, by Race) According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at year-end 2009 there were an estimated total of 803,771 persons living with an AIDS diagnosis in 46 US states and 5 dependent territories. Of these, 3,040 were American Indian/Alaska Native, 8,422 were Asian, 336,144 were Black/African-American, 169,679 were Hispanic/Latino, 620 were Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 273,883 were White, and 11,213 were multiple races.

(HIV Cases by Transmission Method, Race, and Gender) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, at year-end 2009, of the 214,663 Non-Hispanic Black/African-American Male adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV in 46 states and 5 US dependent territories with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, 117,188 (54.6% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 40,473 (18.9% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 15,281 (7.1% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 41,190 (19.2% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 532 (0.2%) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 114,859 Non-Hispanic Black/African-American Female adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV at year-end 2009, 18,219 (15.9% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 88,024 (76.6% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 581 (0.5% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 235,675 Non-Hispanic White Male adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV at year-end 2009, 189,933 (80.6% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 15,373 (6.5% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 20,407 (8.7% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 8,548 (3.6% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 1,414 (0.6% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 36,605 Non-Hispanic White Female adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV in 2009, 12,180 (33.3% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 23,938 (65.4% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 487 (1.3% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 129,503 Hispanic/Latino Males adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV in 2009, 80,347 (62% of cases) were transmitted through male-to-male sexual contact, 26,499 (20.4% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 8,555 (6.6% of cases) were transmitted by male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, 13,800 (10.7% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 302 (0.2% of cases) were attributed to "other."
- Of the 37,559 Hispanic/Latino Female adults or adolescents living with a diagnosis of HIV in 2009, 9,920 (26.4% of cases) were transmitted by injection drug use, 27,421 (73% of cases) were transmitted by heterosexual contact, and 218 (0.6% of cases) were attributed to "other."

(New HIV Infections Among Youths, by Transmission Method) "In 2010, of the estimated 47,500 new HIV infections, 12,200 (25.7%) were among youths (10,100 [82.8%] among males and 2,100 [17.2%] among females). An estimated 7,000 (57.4%) newly infected youths were blacks/African Americans (5,600 males and 1,400 females), 2,390 (19.6%) were Hispanics/Latinos (2,100 males and 290 females), and 2,380 (19.5%) were whites (2,100 males and 280 females) (Figure 2). By transmission category, 72.1% of all new HIV infections among youths were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 19.8% to heterosexual contact,†† 4.0% to injection drug use, and 3.7% to male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use. Among females, 85.7% of infections were attributed to heterosexual contact and 12.9% to injection drug use. Among males, 87.1% of infections were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 6.0% to heterosexual contact, 2.2% to injection drug use, and 4.5% to male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use. Of the 8,800 new infections among youths attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 4,800 (54.4%) were among blacks/African Americans, 1,900 (21.6%) among Hispanics/Latinos, and 1,800 (20.5%) among whites."

(Leading Causes of Death Among African-Americans, 2008) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among African-Americans in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the tenth leading cause of death overall. It was the eight leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 16-19, the sixth leading cause for African-Americans aged 20-24, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 25-34, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 35-44, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 45-54, and the eighth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 55-64.

(Leading Causes of Death Among Hispanics, 2008) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among Hispanics in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the eighth leading cause of death for Hispanics aged 20-24, the sixth leading cause of death among Hispanics aged 25-34, the seventh leading cause for Hispanics aged 35-44, and the seventh leading cause of death for Hispanics aged 45-54.

(Leading Causes of Death for Non-Hispanic Whites, 2008) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among non-Hispanic Whites in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the ninth leading cause of death for Non-Hispanic Whites aged 35-44.

(HIV Rates in State and Federal Prisons 2004, by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Age) "Of inmates who reported being tested since admission and reported a result, 1.9% in State prison and 1.1% in Federal prison reported being HIV positive (table 9).
"Among State prisoners who were tested for HIV, female inmates (1.9%) were more likely than male inmates (1.6%) to be HIV positive (table 10). Black non-Hispanic inmates (2.0%) and Hispanic inmates (1.8%) were about twice as likely as white non-Hispanic inmates (1.0%) to report being HIV positive. Among male inmates, 1.9% of black non-Hispanics, 1.8% of Hispanic, and 1.1% of white non-Hispanics said they were HIV positive. Among female inmates, black non-Hispanics (3.4%) and Hispanics (2.7%) were about 6 times as likely as white non-hispanic inmates (.5%) to be HIV positive.
"In Federal prisons 1.0% of male inmates and 1.4% of female inmates reported HIV infection. HIV-positive rates were highest among black non-Hispanic female inmates (2.6%).
In both State and Federal prisons, inmates age 34 or younger had the lowest rates of HIV infection. The highest HIV-positive rates in State prisons were among those age 45 or older and in Federal prisons among those age 35-44 (1.9%)."

(HIV As Leading Cause of Death, By Race, 2003) The Centers for Disease Control reported that in 2003, HIV disease was the 22nd leading cause of death in the US for whites, the 9th leading cause of death for African-Americans, and the 13th leading cause of death for Hispanics.

(HIV/AIDS Among African-Americans, 2001)
"• More than 165,000 African Americans were living with injection-related AIDS or had already died from it by the end of 2001. Many thousands more were infected with the HIV virus.
"• The HIV/AIDS epidemic has fallen much more harshly upon African Americans than on whites who inject drugs. Among those who inject drugs, African Americans are five times as likely as whites to get AIDS.
"• 2000, with all the advances in AIDS treatment, AIDS was still among the top three leading causes of death for African Americans aged 25-54 years. More than half of those deaths were caused by contaminated needles."

(HIV/AIDS Among Latinos, 2001)
"• More than 76,000 Latinos living in the United States and Puerto Rico had injection-related AIDS or had already died from it by the end of 2001. Thousands more were infected with the HIV virus.
"• The HIV/AIDS epidemic has fallen more harshly upon Latinos than on whites who inject drugs. Among those who inject drugs, Latinos are at least one and a half times as likely as whites to get AIDS.
"• In 2000, with all the advances in AIDS treatment, AIDS was still among the top five leading causes of death for Latinos aged 25-54. More than half of those deaths were caused by contaminated needles."

(HIV in Jails) "Among jail inmates in 2002 who had ever been tested for HIV, Hispanics (2.9%) were more than 3 times as likely as whites (0.8%) and twice as likely as blacks (1.2%) to report being HIV positive."

(AIDS Deaths in Local Jails) "In 2002 the number of AIDS-related deaths in local jails was 42, down from 58 in 2000 (table 11). The rate of AIDS-related deaths was down from 9 per 100,000 inmates in 2000 to 6 per 100,000 in 2002. Of the 42 inmates who died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2002, 38 were male and 4 were female. Those who died from AIDS-related illnesses were most likely black (31 inmate deaths) and between the ages 35 and 44 (21 inmate deaths). Over the 3-year period beginning in 2000, a total of 155 local jail inmates died from AIDS-related causes."