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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