Spectrum of Risk

African-American gay men are more than twice as likely to be infected with HIV as their white counterparts, according statistics released in December by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts say they don't understand the reasons for the disparity, but they highlighted a few theories that have surfaced based on research from various locales around the country: ' Black men studied were more likely to be infected with a sexually transmitted disease, which raises these men's risk of contracting HIV. ' They were also less likely to be on an anti-HIV regimen if infected, allowing viral concentrations in the body to rise and increase their ability to pass it on to others.