February is the month for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness. This year's theme, I Am My Brother's and Sister's Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS, shows that everyone can play a role in preventing HIV and AIDS.
Blacks and African Americans suffer the most from HIV and AIDS in the United States. More new cases of HIV are found among blacks than any other racial group. Among all blacks, black gay and bisexual men make up most of the new HIV cases.
What can you do?
Start talking. Learn facts about HIV and share this information with your friends, family, and community. You can find out more about HIV on the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day website and the CDC website.
Start getting tested for HIV. Knowing your status gives you powerful information to help keep you and your partner healthy.
- To find a testing site near you, visit Get Tested, text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948), or call 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636). You can also use home testing kits available at drugstores or online.
- To learn more about testing, click here.
Protect yourself and your partner. Today, more tools than ever are available to prevent HIV. You can
- Use condoms the right way every time you have sex
- Choose less risky sexual behaviors
- Limit your number of sexual partners
- Never share needles
- Talk to your doctor about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), taking medicine daily to prevent HIV infection
- Talk to your doctor about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), if you think you may have been exposed to HIV within the last three days through sex, sharing needles, or a sexual assult
Get treated. If you are HIV-positive, start medical care and begin taking medicines to treat HIV, called antiretroviral therapy (ART), as soon as possible.
