A report released in December 2012 by the Chicago Department of Public Health, paints a grim picture. The prevalence of HIV among gay men in Chicago is up 20 percent from 2008 to 2011.
“Black gay men continue to be our priority population,” said Johnathon Briggs, chief officer of external relations for AIDS Foundation of Chicago. “There is a real need to intervene, to champion policies that will reduce stigmas.”
The Chicago health department report breaks down HIV rates among white, black and Hispanic men who have sex with men.
For gay white men, the rate of HIV infection is 16.8 percent. Among gay Hispanic men the rate is 12.5 percent. The rates among whites and blacks have risen since 2008, but it has held steady among Hispanics.