HIV Diagnoses Down, But Not for Everyone

14.12.15

HIV Diagnoses Down, But Not for Everyone: [rhrealitycheck.org] The data, released at the 2015 National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta, shows a 19 percent reduction in the number of new HIV diagnoses (from 48,795 to 39,718 per year) between 2005 and 2014 despite testing remaining stable or increasing among some groups. This suggests the data truly reflects a decrease in the number of infections.

The decrease was primarily driven by declines in three groups—heterosexuals (who saw a decline of 35 percent), injection drug users (who saw a decline of 63 percent), and Black women. In 2005, there were 8,020 new HIV diagnoses in Black women. By 2014, this number was down 42 percent to 4,623, though women of color are still have disproportionately affected by HIV.