ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC, MU LAMBDA CHAPTER
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Message from Mu Lambda and Wellness Committee (MLHWC) the Health andHealth Wellness Committee Mu Lambda Brothers, Welcome to December 2021! December is World Aids Day (Dec. 1st), International Day of Persons w/Disabilities (Dec. 3rd), and National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 6-12) Awareness Month. Below are some articles of interest addressing these topics. Please click on the links or cut and paste into your browser to read the entire articles.
HIV/AIDS and African Americans December 1st is World AIDS Day, reminding us that HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is still a worldwide challenge. This year’s theme is “Equitable Access, Everyone’s Voice.” According to HIV.gov, 2021 marks 40 years “since the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS were officially reported.” In the US, more than 700,000 people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic. Significant strides have been made since the 1980s in terms of prevention and treatment, and new discoveries in research continue to aid in reducing new HIV transmission rates so that patients can live longer and healthier lives. HIV.gov notes, “globally, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has saved more than 20 million lives.” Despite the progress, communities of color continue to be disproportionately affected with higher rates of HIV, and many socio-economic factors can increase risk for transmission. In 2018, Black/African American people accounted for 13% of the US population but 42% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States and dependent areas. “Cultural biases like stigma, discrimination, and homophobia place many African Americans at higher risk for HIV. These barriers prevent many from seeking routine HIV testing or receiving HIV preventative care and treatments due to fear of judgment from family and peers.” (HIV.gov) Although Black/African Americans represent almost 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 42.1 percent of HIV infection cases in 2019. • • • • •
In 2019, African Americans were 8.1 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV infection, as compared to the white population. African American males have 8.4 times the AIDS rate as compared to white males. African American females have 15 times the AIDS rate as compared to white females. African American men are 6.4 times as likely to die from HIV infection as non-Hispanic white men. African American women are 14.5 times as likely to die from HIV infection as white women. MU LAMBDA TORCH 2021
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