Close to 60% of the more than one million HIV-positive people are young African Americans. On December 1, the UN-declared World AIDS Day, BET NEWS will present seven special briefs that examine the effects of HIV/AIDS on African American and global black communities.

These 60-second reports will cover a range of issues from prevention techniques and access to treatment, to living with AIDS and the stigma attached to the disease.

The news briefs will air throughout the day on December 1, 2007 during the following times:

• 11:40 a.m. (ET/PT)
• 12:40 p.m.(ET/PT)
• 2:20 p.m. (ET/PT)
• 3.20 p.m. (ET/PT)
• 5.20 p.m. (ET/PT)
• 6:40 p.m. (ET/PT)
• 7:40 p.m. (ET/PT)

Why does the disease keep spreading?

What can the African American community do to educate the public about this epidemic?

Post your comments here!

Tune in for the BET NEWS briefs on December 1, 2007.

 

I want to know where these stats come from? That number seems rather staggering. It would have to be widespread in the white youth also because there is a good number of high school age black boys who date white girls. So they have to have it also. I want the source of this information.

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Lead your life by example. That is the only way you can honestly be respected.

In New York City, Harlem there are posters at the bus stops, with a picture of Magic Johnson and the poster reads " 81% of the Black and Latino community are infected with HIV/AIDS. The stats were taken in 2005. Now that's scary.

 Honey_Cinnamon wrote:I want to know where these stats come from? That number seems rather staggering. It would have to be widespread in the white youth also because there is a good number of high school age black boys who date white girls. So they have to have it also. I want the source of this information.Ideally, you could start with the CDC.  While my information here is predicated upon the state of Florida, I believe its safe to state that the premise is similar across all states.  Translation.  As a medical professional, in the state of Florida we're REQUIRED to report HIV (positive)/AIDS statistics.Source (page 3 - of slides):http://www.mecop.org/FL%20LAWS.ppt#262,3,ReportingIn the interest of time, lets address the black community.  For discussion purposes we'll target a black female.  So black female X walks into a medical facility ( say a hospital ) with a complaint.  Perhaps black female X is pregnant.  As part of the diagnosis, a nurse collects a specimen.  The results from the specimen reveals X is HIV positive.  Notwithstanding the difficult (it's tough seeing - in some cases - X cry) involved in informing X  about the findings, as part of the paperwork the state of Florida is also informed that X tested HIV positive.  The state of Florida could also report this information to the CDC.  This information leads to:http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/aids/updates/facts/facts.htmlhttp://www.floridacharts.com/charts/Domain2.aspx?Domain='01'The CDC http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/resources/factsheets/aa.htmYou get the point.  Peruse the reports do the math and its clear this in an epedimic in the African American (no disrespect to other communities but I didn't care to highlight them) community.  Again for simplicity I picked on Florida because its incumbent on us medical professionals to report these incidents.  If memory serves, medical professionals in Georgia weren't required to do so - could be wrong on this - 4/5 years ago, but I would guess times have changed and reporting is now mandatory.

When viewed from - what I consider an epidemic , I'd like to applaud BET for their efforts pertaining to continued discussions on this issue.  As with all discussions pertaining to issues within the black community, I'd hope that a member from the panel - I presume - will preach RESPONSIBLITY within the black community.  You ask 'why does the disease keep spreading?'.To that I reply: Indeed, there's no absolutes, but when viewed from the perspective of the main risk factor ( i.e unsafe sex), today we'd be hard pressed to lay up with Mary Q chick or Jon Q dude without protection.  If your partner suffers from condom fatigue, then an STD test is simply MANDATORY.  If your partner opts out, hand him/her walking papers.  Prevention fatigue NEVER hurts.As for 'educating the public'.  You ask me, at some point it becomes important for us to find REAL people ( none of this celebrity nonesense ) who face REAL challenges on this issue to drive home the importance of RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR.  A medical professional could accomodate these individuals in an attempt to break down the infection. More specifically, it's impact on the T cells etc. etc. An aside:  While there's discussions about issues within the African American community, it's important for BET to address the crisis surrounding black male america.  RESPONSIBLE PARENTING, RESPONSIBLE PARENTING, ... would go along way.

While I applaud bet as well,I would like for our religious leader to preach abstinence. I would like to see bet refrain from showing movies and videos that promotes prommiscous. Diseases are always going to be here,but how can we avoid them. Herpes are contagious with protection. Yes resonsibility is the key. Abstaing from sex until you are married,and then remain faithful to your mate. Teaching our children that sex does not make us popular,or playboys or girls,but it degrades those who practice it outside of the marriage bed. AIDS can not travel by itself,it need some willing vessels.

This should be a wake up call weather the stats are true or false.

There is a cure for AIDS there is a doctor in Africa that has the antidote for the disease and if the price is right you can get cured. Its all about the money.

from doctors and there reported cases of clients thy see

hey sonni stfu ok!

I refsue to celebrate AIDS day its an insult! Affecting mainly African AMericans??? No affecting blacks! affecting from homosexual men and women who cant be honest with their parnters I am apart of the organization S.I.S.T.A Sisters Informing Sisters on Topic of Aids in the Black Communities!!! and 85% of the cases were because of a down low man

Men who have sex with men unprotectly is risking the women!! *201* sex is the quickest and more effective way to have sexy the *201* whole tears everytime its getting throbbed blood is about and lurking germs bacteroa all fungus all disease breed with each other causing the plague and effectring the man who injects the woman who might be pregnant with a seed who will then affect the seed or woman who is having sex with a woman the more fluid in take sexually the closer the contact to HIV the virus that causes AIDS

 

women who do vaginal to vaginal unprotectivley are at the same risk once again

the drug users who use needles or tattoo artists who dont clean the needles all ways of getting it

the average straight man who protects hisself with a straight woman who protects herself are at a low risk it sounds incriminating to one gender or sexuality but its true the researchers and victims dont LIE!!

 

Its soo sad and I live in Atlanta GA and were number 2 in the USA with the highest HIV and AIds factor among Blacks Los Angeles and San Fransisco Miami Washington DC and St Louis MI are the top five among people of color NYC and Philladelphia PA falling right behind its soo sad I mean me and my line sister was talking about that the other day in our workshop men if you want to have sex with men keep it amongst you all men do not hurt and effect the femael cuz u scaredand coward to come out!

 

Honestly the days of the straight black man are over forreal

ladies and gents people of color we have got todo better

THE SURE WAY TO DECREASE THIS EPIDEMIC IN BLACK COMMUNITIES

Men have sex with one partner and one parnter only keep bodily hygene and get check-ups

Ladies sleep with one partenr only and keep hygeine and bodily health  get check-ups

dont drink and get high and have sex more at risk

young girls and guys wear condoms! no babies no diseases

We need to start looking for love in the black community instead of looking for lust and a lay

cuz once we stay true and dont cheat and love the one were with were all good you can enjoy sex and not have to worry about if you have anything

Maintain a healthy lifestlye my people were are weakening mind wise but growing financially but our wealth is nothing with out spritiuality and mental strength

we are worth love and we are more than what White America says about us

WAke up! love ya self and each other

HELPING HANDS AND LEAN ON ME needs to ressurect in the black communities forreal

All this silly wanna be white stuff needs to stop

homosexuailty is wrong and its not right its not of our people thats a Greek thing the Greeks Europeans and German they were knwown for the

Homosexual public baths and Soddam and Gomorrah and God said "Man who lies with Man is in wrath of a sure plague"

 

sound familar? Not to scare or condemn anyone cuz no man is perfect its just

analiyze your lives before you do

make smarter choices

this AIDS things wastn affecting us years ago when our grand parnets and parents were about! why now??

like I said our minds are weakening and pockets strengthing but if we dont elevate our wisdom and knowledge of who we aare where we come from and our purpose that wealth is no good

it might as well be placed in a dogs bowl and all dog gone do is eat it!

WAKE UP love and think

Im done lol 

hi my name is Jermaine Blar im from a little town in South Carolina called sumter. Here in sumter ived found out that many people ive went to school with now has HIV i have a great idea please give me a call @ (803)773-8931 or (803)720-2335 Thanks jermaine

It's amazing how much evidence exists that points to the goverments responsibility in the creation of this disease. I base my life on facts, and the facts do exist. This is no conspiracy theory or anything like that, its just amazing that this disease was probably manufactured and distributed to enable the foreign powers that be to continue controlling the richest body of land in the world.The fear of "genetic annihilation" IS very real, and the best way to destroy the black race is at its root (the African) Please carefully research the history of aids. Please don't take my word for it, research the history of the Small Pox Vaccine, Boyd Graves, and just think about the history of this country.  Programs were in place to give blacks syphillis and remember the US  killed millions of Indians after giving them blankets laced with small pox. So don't put it passed them, remember too they viciously enslaved millions of people in an effort to control their land (Which they control today!)Aids is a war---protect yourself!

Well, I think he would have enough common since to release the antidote and become the richest person that has exceeded Bill's status... All you hear sayers ... lolol, boy I tell ya lol.