Report: Black, Latino, and Gay communities facing HIV/AIDS 'tsunami'

The Huffington Post reports: The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published a report stating that African Americans and Hispanics are the groups most affected by HIV.

African Americans represent approximately 14% of the population in the United States and Hispanics make up approximately 16% of the population, according to 2010 census data. But the CDC report shows they are disproportionately affected by HIV -- African Americans account for 44% of the 48,100 new HIV cases diagnosed in 2009, while Hispanics account for 20% of the new HIV cases. In 2009, African American men had the highest rates of new HIV cases (103.9 new cases for every 100,000 people), followed by Hispanic men (39.9) and African American women (39.7).

The CDC report also indicates that gay and bisexual men remain the most affected by HIV in the United States. Men who have sex with men (MSM) represent 2% of the population in the United States, but account for more than 50% of all new HIV cases recorded between 2006 and 2009, the CDC estimates.

"What we now see are more new cases of HIV/AIDS among members of the male gay community between the ages of 13 and 24," said Vallerie D. Wagner, director of AIDS Project Los Angeles.

More on this grim report here.

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