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National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a chance to get more involved in getting the word out that HIV is preventable. With greater awareness about how the disease is spread and how to avoid risky behaviors, people can reduce their chance of infection. With appropriate treatment and medication, people living with HIV can live long and productive lives and manage their disease like other chronic illnesses. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to get screened for HIV and to know their HIV status.

If you are sexually active, getting tested for STDs is one of the most important things you can do to protect your health. The CDC recommends that all adults and adolescents from ages 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV.

Blacks/African Americans account for a higher proportion of new HIV diagnoses, those living with HIV, and those who have ever received an AIDS diagnosis, compared to other races/ethnicities. The highest proportion of blacks who received an HIV diagnosis in 2017 are between 20 and 29.

Pre-Exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available at the Florida Department of Health to people at an increased risk for HIV. PrEP is a pill (Truvada®) that is taken once daily, and can reduce the risk of acquiring HIV through sexual contact by more than 90% and through injection drug use by 70%.

For those who test positive for HIV, starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) with a provider as soon as possible improves health outcomes by reducing the risk of disease progression and reducing HIV viral load. Persons living with HIV who take ART as prescribed and achieve and sustain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative sexual partners. ART is recommended for all persons living with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are.