Amid progress in lowering HIV infections in the state,
higher rates still seen among black Marylanders
Baltimore Maryland, (February 4, 2015) – In keeping with Saturday’s designation as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD), the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) urges Marylanders to get educated, get tested, get involved and get treated.
According to the CDC, 1.2 million Americans are living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that can lead to developing Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). As of December 31, 2012 – the most recent year for which there are data – 30,061 Marylanders were diagnosed and living with HIV or AIDS.
“From 1997 to 2012, Maryland experienced a 23 percent decrease in the number of new HIV cases and reported a 52 percent decrease in the number of deaths among AIDS cases,” said Van T. Mitchell, Secretary at DHMH. “However, the disparities seen in infection rates show that much work remains in helping all Marylanders make better health decisions.”
HIV significantly impacts black communities in Maryland. Out of 100,000 non-Latino black Marylanders, 79.3 were diagnosed with it in 2012 – compared with seven out of 100,000 non-Latino white Marylanders and with 22.4 out of 100,000 Latino Marylanders. The rate for black males living with diagnosed HIV (1,760.7 per 100,000 blacks) was the highest of any group. The second group having the second-highest incidence of living with diagnosed with HIV diagnosis was black females (983.0 per 100,000 blacks), and Latino males (392.9 per 100,000 Latinos) were third.
In 2012, Maryland was third among U.S. states and territories in estimated HIV diagnosis rates at 30.8 people per 100,000 Marylanders. There were 1,466 new adult/adolescent HIV diagnoses in M
