Continued racial disparities in new HIV infections in the United States are revealed in three new HIV surveillance reports published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . The reports show that although progress has been made in overall HIV prevention, longstanding social and economic factors are still contributing to health inequities, particularly among Black and Hispanic/Latino populations.
According to the CDC, in 2022, 47% of estimated new HIV infections among women were in Black women, despite making up only 13% of the female population. Additionally, male-to-male sexual contact accounted for 67% of all estimated new HIV infections.
Dr. Robyn Neblett Fanfair, Director of the Division of HIV Prevention at the CDC, and Dr. Jonathan Mermin, Director of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, emphasized the need for a sharpened focus on addressing inequities and their drivers, including racism and other social and structural determinants of health.
The CDC calls for ensuring that whole-person approaches to HIV prevention, care, and treatment are brought to scale and equitably reach all people who need them to stay healthy. The reports underscore the importance of continued efforts to address the disproportionate impact of HIV on communities of color in the United States.
See “CDC Publishes New HIV Surveillance Reports” (May 21, 2024)
