‘Ending the HIV epidemic’: where are African American women in the plan?

Compared with the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, HIV is largely viewed as a chronic life-limiting, rather than fatal illness. National statistics show an 8% reduction in new HIV infections between 2010 and 2015, and the age-adjusted AIDS mortality rate has also declined over 80% since its peak around 1995. However, these advancements mainly benefit White, cisgender populations, excluding African American women from the big picture in the fight against HIV. Women of color are a community that experiences inequitable marginalization, which is associated with greater HIV incidence, lower HIV viral suppression, and social stigma. These inequities inform the 2019 ‘Ending the HIV Epidemic’ Plan set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services, which calls for expanded testing, linkage to care, and engagement in care for key groups, such as women of color.