Today is National HIV Testing Day and it's especially important for African-American men and women to treat themselves to a screening. According to the Huffington Post, the National Association of People with AIDS has found that the number of HIV incidences "among Black women in the U.S. is five times higher than previously thought."
HIV is the third leading cause of death among Black men and women aged 35-44 and although Blacks constitute 14 percent of the American population, they make up 50 percent of those living with HIV in the U.S. So it's imperative that we make HIV tests a part of our medical routine.
That said, there have been improvements in detecting and preventing the disease, including a new pill, Truvada, that represses the virus in healthy people who have a high risk of contracting HIV. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention also revealed a two-year plan to make testing available at pharmacies and retail stores.
For now, you can visit aids.gov for HIV/AIDS service providers or hivtest.cdc.gov for testing sites near you.
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