Racial/Ethnic Disparities Among Children with Perinatal HIV Infection (posted 3/10)

A new article out of the Centers for Disease Control demonstrates that racial disparities in HIV/AIDS continue to exist, in particular for children diagnosed with perinatal HIV infection. The article titled “Racial/Ethnic Disparities among Children with Diagnoses of Perinatal HIV Infection – 34 States, 2004-2007” was published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) at the beginning of February. The article shows that despite substantial declines in the number of HIV-infected infants in the United States, racial/ethnic minorities, especially African Americans, continue to be most significantly impacted by perinatal transmission. Although black and Hispanic children only accounted for 37 percent of the population under the age of one, these groups represented 85 percent of all perinatal HIV diagnoses. Because the risk of transmission from an HIV-infected mother to her child can be greatly reduced with effective interventions, the authors emphasize it is critical all women – especially African Americans and Latinas – have access to HIV prevention, reproductive health care, prenatal care and, if necessary, HIV treatment. To read the article click here.

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