• Acquiring any sexually transmitted disease, hepatitis, or tuberculosis. HIV often travels with other infectious diseases, so if you have contracted another virus, there is a heightened chance that you could have also contracted HIV. High-risk groups In the U.S., HIV is most commonly spread through sexual intercourse, be it anal or vaginal, and by sharing drug-use equipment (or works) with someone who is carrying the virus. HIV continues to devastate some risk groups more than others. Certain populations are at greater risk because there are higher rates of HIV infection within their communities or population groups. This Key points: HIV incidence • The estimated number of new HIV infections in 2021 was 36,136, showing a decline of 7% from 2017 to 2021 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). • By age group : People ages 13 to 34 accounted for 58% (18,700) of the estimated 32,100 new HIV infections in 2021. In 2021, as compared with 2017, the annual number of HIV infections among persons ages 13 to 34 decreased 18%. According to the CDC, no change was detected in persons ages 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, and ≥55 years (HIV.gov, U.S Statistics, 2024). • By race/ethnicity : In 2021, according to the CDC, Black/ African American persons made up approximately 12% of the population of the U.S. and accounted for 40% (13,000) of the estimated 32,100 new HIV infections. White persons made up 61% of the population of the U.S. and accounted for 26% (8,200) of new HIV infections, and Hispanic/Latino persons made up 18% of the population of the U.S. and accounted for 29% (9,300) of HIV infections. By rate, the highest rates of new HIV infections in 2021 were among Black/African American persons (37.3%), Hispanic/Latino persons (18.9%), and persons of multiple races (17.0%) (HIV.gov, U.S Statistics, 2024). • By sex at birth : People assigned male at birth accounted for 81% (25,900) of the estimated 32,100 new HIV infections in 2021, and people assigned female at
• Having sex with someone who has any of the above risk factors. Don’t forget, when you put yourself at risk, you put all of your future partners at risk as well.
means that with each sexual or drug use encounter, they are placing themselves at heightened risk of contracting the virus. Furthermore, the different demographic, social, and economic factors of each distinct community can further contribute to the level of risk. These factors can include income, education, geographic region, or even the prevalence of stigma and discrimination. birth accounted for 24% (6,200) of new HIV infections. According to the CDC, the annual number of new HIV infections in 2021, as compared to 2017, decreased among people assigned male at birth but remained stable among people assigned female at birth. In 2021, the rate for people assigned male at birth (18.8%) was four times the rate for people assigned female at birth (4.4%) (HIV.gov, U.S Statistics, 2024). • By HIV transmission category : The annual number of HIV infections in 2021, compared with 2017, decreased among males with transmission attributed to male- to-male sexual contact and remained stable among all other transmission categories (injection drug use, male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use, and heterosexual contact). According to the CDC, in 2021, among males, most HIV infections were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact (81%). Among females, most HIV infectious were attributed to heterosexual contact (82%) (HIV.gov, U.S Statistics, 2024). Despite the level of risk based on ethnicity, gender, and lifestyle, everyone can take precautions to help reduce their risk and maintain an HIV-negative status. By learning about prevention strategies and standard precautions, we can reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and lessen the devastation resulting from the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY
• Achieving integrated, coordinated efforts that address the HIV epidemic among all partners and stakeholders The strategy acknowledges that HIV is still an epidemic and major health issue in the U.S., despite the fact that most people can live longer, healthy lives once they are diagnosed and treated . It recognizes that everyone across the nation deserves access to prevention tools and education as well as immediate access to treatment and care. It will require a collaborative national response to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic and achieve the strategic goals. This includes all health and human service providers, including barbers. Fulfilling this national strategy starts with everyone and should begin with you and your barber salon.
The federal government’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (2022–2025) “provides stakeholders across the nation with a roadmap to accelerate efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030.” At the same time, the strategy aims to support people with HIV and reduce illness and death related to the virus. The strategy has set the ambitious targets of a 75% reduction in new HIV infections by 2025 and a 90% reduction in new infections by 2030. The strategy focuses on four major goals: • Preventing new HIV infections • Improving HIV-related health outcomes of people with HIV • Reducing HIV-related disparities and health inequities Protecting yourself in the workplace: HIV and salons Salons and barber shops have come under intense scrutiny in the past decade because of various outbreaks of infectious diseases that were traced to improperly cleaned equipment. State licensing boards have set strict rules for salon and barber shop procedures and exact steps for proper sanitation and sterilization of equipment to make
sure disease transmission cannot happen in salons. It is important for all licensed barbers to be familiar with and consistently practice these safety rules and guidelines. Among the most important is the simplest—workers must wash their hands frequently, between clients and sometimes more often, when there is a chance of any kind of disease
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