Department of Psychology
College of Liberal Arts

The Community Health program continues its commitment to provide positive impact in the community through its new community Initiative, The MAC Initiative. MAC stands for Men Acting Courageously. With so many issues facing the African American Male, CHP wants to provide an opportunity to engage this population in conversations and learning modules to help strengthen ad empower them. The MAC Initiative will provide Empowerment opportunities for African American Men both on the campus of Jackson State University and its surrounding community.  These opportunities will consist of Chat & Chew Sessions that deal with issues related to their community. The MAC Initiative will also host a Men’s Conference to further provide informative opportunities for empowerment. It is the hope of this Initiative to bring positive empowerment for African American Men such that they will be better able to make both positive and healthy decisions for their lives.

HIV Among African American Gay and Bisexual Men
Fast Facts
•    African American gay and bisexual men account for more US HIV diagnoses than any other group.
•    After steep increases, HIV diagnoses among these men have leveled off in recent years.
•    Though HIV rates are high among African American gay and bisexual men, there are more tools than ever before to prevent HIV.

In the United States, black/African Americana gay and bisexual menb are more affected by HIV than any other group of Americans. Though the number of new diagnoses declined for African Americans as a whole in recent years, diagnoses among African American gay and bisexual men increased between 2005 and 2014. However, that upward trend has stabilized since 2010.

The Numbers
HIV and AIDS Diagnoses
•    Among all gay and bisexual men who received an HIV diagnosis in the United States in 2015,d African Americans accounted for the highest number (10,315; 39%), followed by whites (7,570; 29%) and Hispanics/Latinose (7,013; 27%).f
•    In 2015, 38% (3,888) of African American gay and bisexual men who received an HIV diagnosis were aged 13-24. Thirty-seven percent (3,843) were aged 25-34; 13% (1,305) were aged 35-44; 8% (872) were aged 45-54; and 4% (405) were aged 55 or older.
•    While the number of HIV diagnoses declined for African Americans as a whole from 2005 to 2014, diagnoses among African American gay and bisexual men increased 22% in that period. But diagnoses stabilized in recent years, increasing less than 1% between 2010 and 2014.
•    From 2005 to 2014, HIV diagnoses among African American gay and bisexual men aged 13 to 24 increased 87%. But that trend has leveled off, with diagnoses declining 2% between 2010 and 2014.
•    Among all gay and bisexual men with HIV infection classified as AIDS in the United States in 2015, African Americans accounted for the highest number (3,928; 39%), followed by whites (3,096; 31%) and Hispanics/Latinos (2,430; 24%).