The director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention said Thursday that African Americans continue to be the racial group most disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States. According to a statement by Dr. Kevin Fenton, blacks comprise 12 percent of the US population but nearly half of the estimated 1 million people living with HIV and almost half of new HIV infections annually.

"Of the nearly 25,000 infections estimated to occur each year among African Americans, more than one-third (38 percent) are among young people ages 13-29. Young black gay men and bisexual men are especially hard hit, representing more than half (55 percent) of all new infections among blacks in this age group," Fenton said.

Yet, "A 2009 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the proportion of African Americans ages 18-29 who reported being 'very concerned' about becoming infected with HIV declined from 54 percent in 1997 to 40 percent today," Fenton noted.

"In observance of this year's [National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day], let us recommit ourselves to ensuring that all African Americans - especially youth - have the information they need to protect themselves, and the support to talk openly and honestly about this preventable disease," Fenton said.