Report: 1 in 22 Black Americans Will Get HIV

Health officials estimate that 1 in 22 black Americans will be diagnosed with the AIDS virus in their lifetime—more than twice the risk for Hispanics and eight times that of whites. The CDC report released yesterday says the lifetime risk is 1 in 52 for Hispanics and 1 in 170 for whites. Asian-Americans had the lowest lifetime risk, at about 1 in 222.

The data is not considered surprising. Earlier research has shown blacks, especially, have a high risk of HIV infection. The estimates are based on 2007 death certificates, population figures, and HIV surveillance data from 37 states and Puerto Rico. They update similar calculations reported two years ago. (More blacks stories.)