Consider the Following: How can I be best prepared to link my clients to testing?
Of the 1.2 million individuals with HIV in the United States, an estimated 13% are unaware of their status. Among those aged 13-24, 44% are unaware of their status. The first pillar of Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) is aimed at reducing this number.
As seen in the figure to the left, the majority of new HIV diagnoses are in Black or African American individuals. Moreover, people of color account for 70% of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States.
The graph to the right shows that while a majority of transmission occurs through male-to-male sexual contact, heterosexual contact and injection drug use are still large risk categories.
Figure 3 shows that people aged 25-34 experience the highest rates of transmission, accounting for just over 1/3 of all new diagnoses.
Taken together, these statistics highlight the importance of HIV testing programs that focus on people of color, young people, and people in all transmission risk categories.
The Diagnose pillar outlines goals of (1) increasing people who have knowledge of their status to 95%, and (2) reducing new infections by 90%. To accomplish this, the CDC recommends three strategies:
Increase testing in clinics
This includes implementing routine or opt-out screening in emergency departments, as well as increasing testing in areas where heterosexual contact or injection drug use are the primary transmission categories.
Increase testing in non-traditional settings, such as at-home testing.
Making testing available and accessible to individuals outside of a clinic setting can increase the frequency that people get tested, as well as reach people who may not feel comfortable asking for HIV testing in a clinic.
Create a system to regularly screen those at risk.
By testing more regularly, at-risk individuals will be made aware of their status and be linked to care faster, ultimately leading to fewer transmissions.
Check your knowledge:
✓ What are behaviors that can increase the risk of transmitting HIV?
✓ What is the importance of testing early?
✓ What are CDC strategies to increase testing?
- The Importance of Routine HIV Testing in the Incarcerated Population: The Rhode Island Experience
- Importance of promoting HIV testing for preventing secondary transmissions: Modelling the Australian HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men
- Vital signs: HIV testing and diagnosis among adults– United States, 2001-2009