CDC-funded HIV testing, HIV positivity, and linkage to HIV medical care in non-health care settings among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in the United States.

In the United States, HIV infection disproportionately affects young gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, aged 13-24 years (collectively referred to as YMSM), specifically black YMSM. Knowledge of HIV status is the first step for timely and essential prevention and treatment services. Because YMSM are disproportionately affected by HIV, the number of CDC-funded HIV testing events, overall and newly diagnosed HIV positivity, and linkage to HIV medical care among YMSM in non-health care settings were examined from 61 health department jurisdictions. Differences by age and race/ethnicity were analyzed. Additionally, trends in number of HIV testing events and newly diagnosed HIV positivity were examined from 2011 to 2015. In 2015, 42,184 testing events were conducted among YMSM in non-health care settings; this represents only 6% of tests in non-health care settings. Overall and newly diagnosed HIV positivity was 2.8% and 2.1%, respectively, with black/African-American YMSM being disproportionately affected (5.6% for overall; 4% for newly diagnosed); 71% of YMSM were linked within 90 days. The newly diagnosed HIV positivity among YMSM decreased from 2.8% in 2011 to 2.4% in 2015, and the number of newly diagnosed YMSM also decreased. Further targeted testing efforts among YMSM are needed to identify undiagnosed YMSM, specifically black YMSM.

HIV Testing and Outcomes Among Hispanics/Latinos - United States, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, 2014.

The 2015 National HIV/AIDS Strategy provides an updated plan to address health disparities in communities at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (1,2). Hispanics/Latinos* are disproportionately affected by HIV in the United States. In 2014, 23% of HIV diagnoses were among Hispanics/Latinos, who represented 16% of the U.S. population (3). To examine HIV testing services, CDC analyzed 2014 data from the National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation (NHM&E) system submitted by 60 CDC-funded health departments† and 151 community-based organizations. Among Hispanics/Latinos tested, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) had the highest percentage of HIV diagnoses (2%). MSM accounted for 19.8% of HIV test events conducted among Hispanics/Latinos and 63.8% of Hispanics/Latinos who received an HIV diagnosis in non-health care settings.§ Approximately 60% of Hispanics/Latinos who received an HIV diagnosis were linked to HIV medical care within 90 days; this percentage was lower in the South than in other U.S. Census regions. HIV prevention programs that are focused on expanding routine HIV screening and targeting and improving linkage to medical care and other services (e.g., partner services) for Hispanics/Latinos can help identify undiagnosed HIV cases and reduce HIV transmission.

HIV testing and service delivery among Blacks or African Americans--61 health department jurisdictions, United States, 2013.

In the United States, approximately 1.2 million persons are living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), of whom approximately 14.0% have not received a diagnosis. Some groups are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as persons who self-identify as blacks or African Americans (in this report referred to as blacks). Blacks accounted for 12.0% of the United States' population but accounted for 41.0% of persons living with HIV in 2011. HIV testing is critical to identify those who are infected and link them to HIV medical care for their own health and to reduce transmission to partners. To assess progress toward increasing HIV testing and service delivery among blacks in 2013, CDC analyzed national-level program data submitted by 61 health departments and 151 directly funded community-based organizations through the National HIV Prevention Program Monitoring and Evaluation system. This report describes the results of that analysis, which found that, in 2013, blacks accounted for 45.0% of CDC-funded HIV testing events (TEs) and more than half (54.9%) of all newly identified HIV-positive persons (in this report referred to as new positives). Among blacks, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (collectively referred to as MSM) had the highest percentage of new positives (9.6%). Broader implementation of routine HIV screening and HIV testing targeted towards populations at high risk can help identify persons with undiagnosed HIV infection and link these persons to HIV medical care and prevention services. Linkage to medical care and referrals to HIV partner services and HIV prevention services among blacks could be improved.