A Review of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Response to the HIV/AIDS Crisis Among Blacks in the United States, 1981-2009

This report in the form of a journal article discusses the high incidence of HIV/AIDS among Blacks in the United States and the efforts of CDC to address it. CDC initiated a variety of activities to (1) better understand the factors that drive the HIV/AIDS epidemic among Blacks in the United States, (2) expand HIV testing and access to HIV treatment, (3) develop new interventions and scale up the availability of effective interventions, and (4) mobilize Black communities to combat the HIV/AIDS crisis facing them. CDC launched the Heightened National Response, which seeks to engage public and nonpublic partners to work together to prevent HIV among Blacks. CDC launched Act Against AIDS, a campaign to refocus attention on the domestic HIV/AIDS crisis and has supported HIV prevention research among Blacks, including developing and supporting behavioral interventions for at-risk and HIV-positive Blacks. New initiatives include President Obama’s goal of developing a National HIV/AIDS strategy to reduce HIV incidence, decrease HIV-related health disparities, and increase access to care, especially among Blacks and other disproportionately affected populations.