Although Whites, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians were represented in the sample, federal and university human subjects guidelines protecting confidentiality prevented HIV infection rates from being calculated for these groups.

Morris said the results of the study parallel the racial disparities for other sexually transmitted diseases seen in Centre for Disease Control data. For example, rates of gonorrhea are about 17 times greater among Black youth, rates of syphilis are 12 times greater and rates of chlamydia are about five times greater.

“We need to understand the mechanism that controls the spread of these pathogens. The persistent differentials across a wide range of disease suggests a common mechanism,� Morris says.

Black Americans Twice As Likely As White Americans To Start A Business

African-Americans are twice as likely as White Americans to try to start a business, according to a study by Dr. Philipp Koellinger of the German Institute for Economic Research and Babson College and Economics and Entrepreneurship Professor Maria Minniti.

The study says that although Black Americans are more optimistic about their business environment than other racial groups, Black entrepreneurs are more likely than White entrepreneurs to fail in the early stages of the entrepreneurial process.

According to U.S. Bureau of the Census 1993 figures, approximately 11.6 percent of White workers are self-employed, compared to only 3.8 percent of Black workers.

“Our results suggest that the under-representation of Black Americans among established entrepreneurs is not due to lack of trying but may instead be due to stronger barriers to entry and higher failure rates,� says Dr. Minniti in the article “Not For Lack Of Trying: American Entrepreneurship In Black And White.�

— Diverse staff and news wire reports