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The HIV/AIDS outbreak has been a problem since the time it was first discovered during the 1980’s. HIV/AIDS has affected many lives. It doesn’t discriminate against race, gender, age, or sexual preferences. HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune systems and, as time goes by, it then turns into what is known as AIDS. AIDS is the serious condition, which is the maximum stage of the disease, where the body has very little defense against any kind of infections. Like any other disease, there are many ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS victims can be found throughout the world, from third world countries to even the most powerful nations. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has affected many lives, particularly in the black communities in America, including men, women, and adolescents.
As previously stated, widespread of HIV/AIDS has had a major effect among many in society, especially within the black communities. Though African Americans make up a small percentage of the population(13%), they adds up to the majority of diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases(“Facts“). HIV/AIDS was the third leading cause of death among young African-Americans, compared to the sixth leading cause for Latinos and whites in the early years of this century(Sternberg 5) . There are at least 40,000 new infections of HIV/AIDS that occur each year in America, and about 24,000 are African-Americans(Facts). Many factors are responsible for the high rates of the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the Black communities including: high risk sexual contacts, substance abuse, lack of access to health care, and
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undiagnosed cases of the unaware victims. In particular, the HIV/AIDS cases are the highest in the northeastern side of America, in areas mostly populated with African- Americans(“Facts“). Among both African-American men and women, the two leading causes of contracting the HIV/AIDS virus are through sexual contact and injected drugs(“Facts“). As new treatments are developed to...