Select a target population with a specific health issue- HIV AIDS

The HIV/AIDS Burden among the Black Americans
Name
Institutional Affiliation
The HIV/AIDS Burden among Black Americans
It is approximated that 36.7 million people live with HIV/AIDS in the world today. Around 2.1 million of them are children who mostly contract the disease from their mothers at birth or during breastfeeding, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, an estimated 1.8 million new infections are reported every year. 30.5 million people have died from the epidemic since its start (HIV.gov, 2018). The epidemic does not only affect the infected individuals, but also their households and communities. Economic growth of countries is also hampered by the epidemic when the working population gets affected. Governments around the world also spend huge amounts on prevention and treatment measures. Regardless of the great strides that have been made in the scientific understanding of the disease, no cure or vaccine has yet been developed. However, more and more people are using antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is estimated that more than a million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. Moreover, around 37,000 people are infected annually. 15% of them are unaware of their status (Avert, 2018). Stigmatization also remains a major hurdle in the reduction of infections and prevention of the disease. However, the number of deaths from the disease have greatly reduced since the early presentation of the disease. The Black Americans remain the most burdened populations in comparison to other ethnicities and races. The group accounts for approximately 44% of new infections (Avert, 2018). This paper seeks to explore the relationship between HIV/AIDS and the Black American community as well as the current strategies and interventions that are being aimed at preventing and reducing the HIV/AIDS burden in the Black American community.
The Black American Population
Black Americans, who are also known as African-Americans, refer to the ethnic group whose members have a total or partial African ancestry. They account for approximately 40 million Americans or 12.7% of the American population. This makes the population the third biggest racial group in the U.S. (United States Census Bureau, 2016). They are mostly concentrated in the southern parts of the U.S. as well as in urban areas. Various English dialects are the dominant languages, and most members of this population are Protestants. Though still behind the whites and Asians, the group has greatly advanced regarding educational attainment and employment. The civil rights era led to the great economic advancement of the community, especially the educated. The historically ingrained racial disparity has also narrowed over time, and tremendous growth in the middle class has been witnessed. However, poverty remains a major issue in this community. Poverty leads to higher rates of mental and physical problems, marital conflicts, lower access to education and health, as well as increased levels of crime. The increased rate of crime has led to increased numbers of incarcerated blacks. The rate of unemployment is also higher in this population. Divorce rates, as well as single-parent households, are common among the Black American population. Though still viewed n...