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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that while African-Americans only represent 13 percent of the United States population, the group accounts for nearly half, or 49 percent, of the nation's AIDS cases.

The National Center for Health Statistics 2006 report revealed that HIV/AIDS is one of the top 10 leading causes of death for African-Americans. In the same year, blacks accounted for more than half, or 54 percent, of estimated new HIV infections in the United States.

More locally, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control's Quarterly Surveillance Report, through Dec. 2006, showed that the Edisto Health District reported a cumulative total of 1,101 HIV/AIDS cases, with a prevalence rate of 906 cases per 100,000 people. The district includes Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties.

The district ranks first in the state in HIV/AIDS cases.

It is these disparaging statistics which have launched the nation to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic with the eighth annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Feb. 7.

Under the theme, "Prevention is Power," local service agencies will be among organizations in more than 60 cities across the nation conducting outreach programs, including free HIV testing.

"This gives an opportunity for African-Americans to focus on this serious issue. We're still trying to encourage the community, particularly African-Americans, to think seriously about HIV/AIDS as an epidemic and to commit themselves to getting educated about it," said Shirley James, RN, president of the Orangeburg-based Minority AIDS Council.

"African-Americans need to commit themselves to making sure they have a negative HIV test and then make sure they are practicing behaviors that help to keep them negative," James said.

Bonnie Fogle, HIV program nurse and case manager at the Orangeburg County Health Department, said abstinence is still a viable message that needs to be heard.

"If you don't know your partner's HIV status, then use condoms. If someone's sexually active, the only way to completely be sure you're not getting it is to not have sex. Abstinence is still a good message, but prevention as with condoms is helpful and certainly works," Fogle said.

She said there is still a frustrating misconception among individuals that birth control will protect them against sexually transmitted diseases.

"For some reason, that seems to still be comforting. Actually, condoms protect from both pregnancy and STD transmission if they're used correctly and don't break. If they're put on correctly, we just don't believe they will break," said Fogle, noting that free condoms are available at the Orangeburg County Health Department.

James said she is quite concerned about the increasing rate of STDs among younger people. According to state DHEC statistics, 80 percent of 15- to 24-year-olds who are newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in South Carolina are African-American.

"We're doing all we can to work with the community and to help them understand. We need everybody to work with this issue: mothers and fathers, schools, health agencies and physicians. Issues like drugs and alcohol and violence toward women and children all sort of add to our problem in terms of trying to make people safe from infectious diseases," James said. "The more you stay healthy, the safer you'll be."

The primary goal of NBHAAD is to motivate African Americans to get tested and know their HIV status, get educated about the transmission modes of HIV/AIDS, get involved in their local community and get treated if they are currently living with HIV.

The fear of being stigmatized is a factor that often keeping individuals from getting tested. State Sen. Brad Hutto has addressed that issue with his sponsorship of a bill related to the confidentiality of STD records. His bill deletes the provision requiring the state DHEC to notify the school district superintendent and school nurse if a minor is attending a school in the district and has AIDS or is infected with HIV.

"It supports the kids that need to find out if they have it so they can get treatment. If kids know that it's gonna be turned over to their teacher or principal, they just won't get tested, which perpetuates the problem. It's an impediment to them seeking treatment," Hutto said.

The bill is currently residing in the S.C. Senate Committee on Medical Affairs, "but it should be in the process of being assigned to a subcommittee and then put before the full medical affairs committee," the senator said.

He said passing along that information to superintendents and school nurses would be useless anyway, because the records are confidential and would render them unable to use the information at all.

"So, why would a school nurse or principal need to know? It puts an impediment in the path of a young kid who is probably already struggling with the issue of what to do about it or how to get treated," he said.

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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