February 7, 2024 – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD). Although anyone can be affected by HIV and AIDS, Black people account for higher proportions of new HIV diagnoses and people with HIV, compared to individuals of other races and ethnicities.
Despite making up only 13% of the total United States population, Black Americans accounted for 42% of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. in 2019. Most of these new diagnoses affected men and were caused by male-to-male sexual contact. Obstacles like racism, discrimination, and mistrust in the health care system can prevent Black people from seeking or receiving HIV prevention services and treatment, like pre-exposure prophylaxis ( Though PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV, only 8% of Black people who may benefit were prescribed it in 2019, compared to 23% of people who could benefit from the medication overall.
CMS OMH is committed to working with our partners to help reduce HIV/AIDS in the Black community by increasing awareness and promoting prevention. Use the resources below to share information about HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention with those you serve.
Resources
- Download and share our HIV/AIDS Data Snapshot to learn more about race/ethnicity, sex, and age disparities among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries.
- Review the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which helps state and local health departments establish and maintain surveillance systems to monitor selected behaviors and prevention services among groups at increased risk for HIV infection.
- Visit the Coverage to Care Get Preventive Care webpage to download resources for your patients so they can learn about services available at no cost to them under most health coverage. All resources are available in 8 languages.
- Explore our Chronic Care Management (CCM) resources, which raise awareness about the benefits of CCM for patients with multiple chronic conditions and provide health care professionals with resources to implement CCM, like the Chronic Care Management Toolkit. This toolkit includes tips and information for health care professionals, along with educational materials to share with patients.
- Read the Tips for Understanding Your Drug Coverage & Prescriptions to learn more about your drug coverage and staying healthy with your medications. (English | Spanish)
- Check out the CDC’s HIV and African American People webpage for more information on the disproportionate effects of HIV on the Black community.
- Visit hiv.gov to learn more about events, basics, and the history of HIV.
- For resources you can share to promote National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, visit the CDC’s National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
View the CDC’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022-2025) to see the framework being used to reduce HIV disparities and health inequalities.
