US Pharm. 2006;1:8.

Infection rates have decreased among blacks.
The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV treatment since 1996 has contributed to longer patient life and a substantial decrease in the progression of HIV to AIDS. As AIDS surveillance no longer provides accurate population-based monitoring of the HIV epidemic, the CDC has recommended that states use confidential, name-based surveillance to report HIV infection. Recorded data should include diagnosis of HIV infection that had not progressed to AIDS, diagnosis of HIV infection that is followed by a diagnosis of AIDS, and concurrent diagnoses of HIV and AIDS infection.

Findings from 33 states that had used name-based reporting between 2001 and 2004 indicated a decrease in the rate of HIV diagnosis among non-Hispanic blacks. Nevertheless, the diagnosis rate among blacks remained disproportionately high. In 2004, the rate among blacks was 8.4 times higher than among whites. Improved knowledge of HIV status and access to care and prevention services contributed to the decrease in new HIV infections among populations most affected, according to CDC data.




Of the 157,252 people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS from 2001 to 2004, 71% were male and 29% were female. Blacks accounted for 51% of those with HIV/AIDS (68% among females and 44% among males); 29% were white; 18% were Hispanic; 1% were Asians/Pacific Islanders; and less than 1% were Native Americans/Alaska Natives. The route of HIV infection for most men (61%) was male-to-male sexual contact; 17% of infections occurred through high-risk heterosexual contact, and 16% occurred through injection-drug use. Most women (76%) diagnosed with HIV/AIDS had been exposed through high-risk heterosexual contact; 21% were exposed through injection-drug use. The distribution of HIV/AIDS diagnosed among males and females by transmission category varied by race/ethnicity. Although the main route of transmission for men was male-to-male sexual contact, 25% of HIV infections among black men and women occurred through high-risk heterosexual contact.

The number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses decreased from 41,207 in 2001 to 38,685 in 2004. The average annual decrease was not statistically significant. A nonsignificant average annual increase occurred in the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among men who have sex with men, from 16,609 cases in 2001 to 18,196 cases in 2004. From 2003 to 2004, the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among men who have sex with men increased 8%. This increase was statistically significant. A significant average annual decrease of 9.1% occurred among injection-drug users.

The annual rate of HIV/AIDS diagnoses per 100,000 population did not change significantly. However, a significant 5% average annual decrease in rates among blacks was seen (88.7 per 100,000 in 2001 to 76.3 per 100,000 in 2004). Among Asians/Pacific Islanders, a significant 9% average annual increase occurred (5.6 per 100,000 in 2001 to 7.2 per 100,000 in 2004). The highest annual rates were among blacks, followed by Hispanics, Native Americans/Alaska Natives, whites, and Asians/Pacific Islanders.

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