Back in Black

HIV rates are skyrocketing among young gay and bi men of color, even as new cases of HIV in the general population have dropped 20 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new report revealing a nearly 87 percent increase in the number of new HIV infections between 2005 and 2014 among black and Latino gay and bisexual men and boys between 13 and 24. And while one out of eight people living with HIV in the U.S. are unaware of their status, that number rises to one out of three for young, black gay and bi men.
Overall, HIV infection rates have been leveling off since 2010, decreasing 63 percent among intravenous drug users, nearly 50 percent among African-American women, 35 percent among all heterosexuals, and 22 percent among African-Americans overall. However, during the past decade, black and Latino gay and bisexual men of all ages saw increases in HIV rates by about 22 percent.