Black AIDS Awareness Day

Leading Cause Of Death For Black Floridians

LABELLE, FL. -- The Florida Department of Health recognizes February 7 as the eighth observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day addresses the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on the black community and encourages individuals to learn more about HIV/AIDS, to know their HIV status, to seek testing and counseling for the virus, and to advocate for the resources necessary to fight the disease.

While blacks comprise 14 percent of Florida�s adult population, blacks account for 48 percent of AIDS cases and 52 percent of HIV cases statewide.  For 15 consecutive years, HIV/AIDS has been the leading cause of death for black Floridians between the ages of 25 and 44.   

"In 2006, DOH launched a report entitled 'Silence is Death: The Crisis of HIV/AIDS in Florida�s Black Communities.'  Since then, Florida�s black populations have committed to fight this disease with every resource possible, not just once a year, but every day," said Thomas Liberti, Chief of DOH Bureau of HIV/AIDS.  "This observance is an important call to action for all Floridians, including advocacy groups, government agencies, and medical and faith communities to work together to expand prevention efforts, increase testing and link people to quality care."