General
- HIV affects people from all backgrounds regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.1
- An estimated 36.9 million people worldwide are living with HIV and less than half are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).2
- Roughly 1.2 million Americans aged 13 years and older are living with HIV.2
- More than 50,000 Americans are infected with HIV every year.1
- 1 in 8 people in United States with HIV don’t know they have it.2
Women
- Approximately 1 in 4 (25%) people living with HIV in the United States are women.3
- Women account for 1 in 5 (20%) of new HIV infections in the United States.2
- Not all women are equally affected by HIV; Black/African American, and Hispanic women are disproportionately affected.2
- Most women are infected with HIV through sexual contact with a man.3
- Less than half of women living with HIV are receiving treatment.3
Men
- At the end of 2010, men accounted for 76% of individuals living with HIV in the United States.2
- Men make up 80% of new HIV infections in the United States and of this number, 76% are MSM.2
- As of 2011, 75% of estimated AIDS diagnoses in the United States were among males.2
- The CDC estimates that 1 in 51 men will receive a diagnosis of HIV at some point during their lifetime.2
- Injection drug use accounts for 6% of all new male HIV infections.4
Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)/Gay/Bisexual
- Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) represent the largest number of new HIV infections in the United States.2
- As of 2011, an estimated 54% of all people living in the US with HIV were MSM.2
- MSM represent the highest percentage of men living with HIV.2
13-24 year-old Men who have Sex with Men (MSM)/Gay/Bisexual
- As of 2010, white MSM continued to account for the largest group of new HIV infections by transmission, followed closely by Black/African American MSM.2
- Young gay and bisexual men aged 13 to 24 account for 72% of all new HIV infections for their age group.2
- New HIV infections from 2008 to 2010 showed an increase of 20% among gay and bisexual youth.2
- Black/African American gay and bisexual youth make up 45% of new HIV infections among AA MSM and 55% of new infections among MSM youth.5
13-24 year olds
- 1 in 4 new HIV infections occur in youth aged 13 to 24 year old.2
- In 2013, adolescents and young adults accounted for 21% of HIV diagnoses in the United States.2
- Youth groups, regardless of sexual orientation, made up 10% of AIDS diagnoses in the year 2013.2
- The CDC estimates more than half of youth with HIV are unware that they have it.2
Transgender
- Transgender groups in the United States are at higher risk for HIV infection.2
- The American Foundation for AIDS Research found that 19.1% of transgender women worldwide are estimated to be infected with HIV.6
- Higher levels of HIV infection among transgender women have been associated with high risk behaviors such as multiple partners.2
Injection Drug Users (IDU)
- HIV infections due to injection drug use have declined, but injecting drugs remains a significant risk.2
- In 2013, seven percent of new HIV infections were due to injection drug use.2
- For the same year, 63% of HIV diagnoses linked to IDU were among men.2
- Black/African Americans account for almost half of injection drug use HIV infections.2
Estimates of New HIV Diagnoses in the United States for the Most-Affected Subpopulations, 2014
Source: CDC. Diagnoses of HIV infection in the United States and dependent areas, 2014. HIV Surveillance Report 2015;26. Subpopulations representing 2% or less of HIV diagnoses are not reflected in this chart. Abbreviation: MSM = men who have sex with men.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- AIDS.gov
- The American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR)