The HIV and AIDS epidemic has disproportionately affected the African American community across time, although rates of HIV infection and AIDS were relatively rare among black women in the early years of the epidemic. Now however, HIV and AIDS disproportionately affect black women, especially young black women. This document looks at some of the factors—behavioral and non-behavioral—that put young black women at disproportionate risk of HIV. It also recommends policies and programs to assist young black women to protect their health and save their lives.

Biological Factors Affect Young Women's Risk for HIV Infection

Women's reproductive biology puts them at greater risk of HIV compared to men. For purely biological reasons, a woman is about twice as likely as a man to contract HIV infection during unprotected vaginal intercourse with an infected partner. Moreover, a young woman is even more vulnerable to infection, due to her less mature reproductive tract.

Young African American Women Suffer a Disproportionate Impact of HIV and AIDS

• From 2000 through 2003, HIV and AIDS rates for African American females were 19 times the rates for white females. Moreover, black women accounted for 67 percent of all new AIDS cases among women in 2003 while white females accounted for 15 percent. Yet, black women constituted 13 percent of the U.S. female population and whites constituted at least 66 percent.
  
  
• In 2003, black teens (ages 13 through 19) comprised 66 percent of AIDS cases in this age group, although they represented only 15 percent of the teenage population. White teens comprised 11 percent of AIDS cases and accounted for 63 percent of the teenage population.
  
  
• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), black youth comprised the largest single group of young people affected by HIV. As of 2001, they accounted for 56 percent of all HIV infections ever reported among those aged 13 through 24.
  

Behaviors May Put Young Black Women at Excess Risk for HIV Infection

Young black women are sometimes at heightened risk of HIV compared to their white, Latina, Native American, and Asian peers due to different proportions engaging in sexual risk behaviors. In other areas—such as having a partner who injects drugs—young black women are at about the same risk as other women their age.

• Sexual Intercourse - This is the primary transmission mode of HIV infection among all American females as well as among black women.
• Multiple Partners
• An Older Male Partner
• Male Partner Who Takes Sexual Risks and/or Uses Drugs
  

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