Great news from the Baltimore City Health Department. They've started to support underground ballroom dances, which are held for young African-American and Hispanic men who are at high risk for HIV infection.
The latest ballroom was held in November at the Sheraton in the Inner Harbor, and offered free HIV testing, as well as free condoms and a multitude of information about available public city services.
The result? Of around 100 attendees who were screened for HIV, around 10% learned that they were infected.
The CDC is working to increase outreach to high-risk populations, and Baltimore City will definitely benefit. A recent study by Johns Hopkins University has found that 45% of Baltimore City African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) are HIV-positive. As one public health official said, targeting high-risk populations gets you "more bang for your buck" when spending on HIV initiatives.
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