African-Americans account for 30 percent of the state’s population but represent 74 percent of the HIV/AIDS cases recently diagnosed in South Carolina.

African-American men and women have been hardest hit by the epidemic as more than seven out of every 10 men and more than eight out of every 10 women diagnosed are African-Americans.

African-American youth and young adults ages 15 to 24 account for 78 percent of this population which have been newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

The state ranks third in the nation for the proportion of African-Americans living with AIDS, at 73 percent.

These statistics from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control are staggering, with the latest 2005 DHEC surveillance report also showing that Bamberg and Orangeburg counties ranked second and third in the state for HIV/AIDS cases, respectively.

Public health advocates say it is time for everyone, particularly African-Americans, to get educated, tested, treated and involved in the fight against an HIV/AIDS issue that has reached epidemic proportions in the black community.

National Black HIV/AIDS Information and Awareness Day is Feb. 7. The Edisto Savannah Public Health District, South Carolina State University and the OCAB/Tri-County HIV Prevention Collaboration are among the groups that will partner with DHEC to sponsor activities to highlight the disproportionate HIV/AIDS impact within the African-American community as part of the sixth annual celebration of the initiative.

HIV educational workshops and forums will be provided, along with free HIV testing including the Orasure no-needles testing method, in local sites such as barber and beauty shops, housing communities, churches and community centers across the state and nation.

The theme of “Get Educated, Get Tested, Get Involved and Get Treated” is meant to encourage blacks to learn the facts on HIV, take steps as active participants in making a difference and learn their HIV status.

“It’s very important to me. When looking at the new information that we received from DHEC ... we really need the education in this area,” said Karen Clinton, HIV prevention director at the Orangeburg-Calhoun-Allendale-Bamberg Community Action Agency Inc.

“A lot of times you hear people say that knowledge is power, but I think applied knowledge is power. My motto is: ’Be positive that you’re negative.’ That’s what I stress. Find out your status. We have a lot of people that are afraid and don’t want to know,” Clinton said.

OCAB is home to its own HIV Prevention Program, which will be sponsoring free, confidential testing in Orangeburg, Santee and Denmark on Feb. 7.

Shirley James, RN, president of the Orangeburg-based Minority AIDS Council and a registered nurse, said the MAC is “educating, motivating and mobilizing” black community members to encourage them to change risky behaviors that are not consistent with good health.

Getting tested for HIV is a big part of the message, but avoiding sharing needles or syringes for “street” or prescription drugs and unprotected sex of any kind, particularly with a person infected with HIV/AIDS, are also ways to help decrease the community’s infection rate.

“People who test positive for HIV are encouraged to enter into a comprehensive, quality health care system for care and to seek supportive care from family and case management,” James said.

Bonnie Fogle, RN, HIV program and case manager at the Orangeburg County Health Department, said the department will provide free, confidential testing as part of its participation. Both needle and Orasure testing methods will be used.

What message is the department sending?

“Prevention and the importance of people knowing their status,” Fogle said. “We want people to change (risky sexual) behaviors to prevent the transmission of HIV if they are HIV-positive. If they are not, or don’t know their status, we encourage them to know it and the status of their partner.”

“It is very much a personal decision and a personal responsibility,” she said.

What puts African-Americans at risk?

DHEC reports that among African-American women with reported risks, more than nine out of 10 women (91 percent) with HIV/AIDS have heterosexual exposure, and about seven percent had injecting drug use.

Among African-American males recently diagnosed with reported risk factors, most cases were attributed to male to male sexual contact (56 percent) and heterosexual contact (35 percent). About nine percent of new cases were attributed to injecting drug use.

DHEC further reports that with nearly 6,500 black men living with HIV in the state, black women may be more likely than white, non-Latino women to have sex with a partner who is living with HIV.

Pinkey Carter, assistant director of the Brooks Health Center on the SCSU campus, said, “The more educated and informed individuals are, the more the communities are able to make the appropriate and wise decisions. Education is critical for people to remain aware.”

The center will be conducting free, confidential HIV testing as part of the national campaign, she said. The SCSU Student Government Association will also cosponsor a free forum, where students will be able to talk to and hear the story of Denise Stokes, who is living with AIDS.

Carter said additional testing and counseling will be conducted during National Condom Week and Sexual Responsibility Week, Feb. 14-21.

-- T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at

dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534.

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