By: HIV.gov Published: May 24, 2018
The nation has continued to make important progress in reducing new HIV infections, improving health outcomes among people living with HIV, and reducing some HIV-related disparities, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Today, HHS released the 2017 National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) Progress Report, the sixth such report since the first NHAS was created in 2010. The report was developed by members of the NHAS Federal Interagency Workgroup, which coordinates implementation and monitoring of the Strategy across the federal government. You can read the report on HIV.gov [PDF, 1.2MB]
One feature of the NHAS is a series of 17 indicators used to measure our progress in meeting the plan’s objectives. We were able to gather and present information on 16 of the indicators in the report. They showed that we met or exceeded the annual targets in nine categories and made valuable progress toward meeting another two of those targets. For instance:
- The number of new HIV diagnoses decreased by nearly 5% from 41,985 in 2011 to 39,876 in 2015.
- The percentage of persons living with diagnosed HIV who were virally suppressed increased from 46.0% in 2010 to 57.9% in 2014.
- The number of adults prescribed PrEP increased by more than 300% from 7,972 in 2014 to 33,273 in 2015.
Unfortunately, the report also shows that progress has not been equal across all populations and regions. There continues to be disparities in HIV risk and diagnoses for gay and bisexual men, stable housing among people living with HIV, and HIV diagnoses in the Southern United States.
This report is a demonstration of the Trump Administration’s ongoing commitment to protecting and improving the health and well-being of all Americans, including those who are living with HIV. The domestic policies and programs of the Federal government continue to be guided by the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, which is focused on improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of our efforts to prevent HIV transmission and improve the health of people living with HIV.
Although we are encouraged by the many areas of progress presented in the report, our fight to end HIV is far from over. There is still a large amount of work that needs to be done in order to reach our nation’s goals for 2020. With this report, we hope that every individual and organization engaged in HIV prevention and/or the treatment and care of people living with HIV has a better understanding of the progress we have made as a nation and the challenges that remain before us.
What Is the National HIV/AIDS Strategy?
The National HIV/AIDS Strategy is a five-year plan that details principles, priorities, and actions to guide our collective national response to the HIV epidemic.
First released on July 13, 2010, the Strategy identified a set of priorities and strategic action steps tied to measurable outcomes for moving the Nation forward in addressing the domestic HIV epidemic. In July 2015, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States: Updated to 2020 was released. The updated Strategy reflects the work accomplished and the new scientific developments since 2010 and charts a course for collective action across the Federal government and all sectors of society to move us close to the Strategy’s vision.
Strategy Vision
The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.
Strategy Goals
- Reduce New Infections
- Increase Access to Care and Improve Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV
- Reduce HIV-Related Health Disparities and Health Inequities
- Achieve a More Coordinated National Response to the HIV Epidemic
Indicators of Progress
The following indicators of progress are identified in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020:
Indicator 1
Increase the percentage of people living with HIV who know their serostatus to at least 90 percent.
Indicator 2
Reduce the number of new diagnoses by at least 25 percent.
Indicator 3
Reduce the percentage of young gay and bisexual men who have engaged in HIV-risk behaviors by at least 10 percent.
Indicator 4
Increase the percentage of newly diagnosed persons linked to HIV medical care within one month of their HIV diagnosis to at least 85 percent.
Indicator 5
Increase the percentage of persons with diagnosed HIV infection who are retained in HIV medical care to at least 90 percent.
Indicator 6
Increase the percentage of persons with diagnosed HIV infection who are virally suppressed to at least 80 percent.
Indicator 7
Reduce the percentage of persons in HIV medical care who are homeless to no more than 5 percent.
Indicator 8
Reduce the death rate among persons with diagnosed HIV infection by at least 33 percent.
Indicator 9
Reduce disparities in the rate of new diagnoses by at least 15 percent in the following groups: gay and bisexual men, young Black gay and bisexual men, Black females, and persons living in the Southern United States.
Indicator 10
Increase the percentage of youth and persons who inject drugs with diagnosed HIV infection who are virally suppressed to at least 80 percent.
In addition, three Developmental Indicators were announced in December 2016 to better monitor progress towards the goals of the Strategy:
Indicator 11 (Developmental)
Increase the percentage of transgender women in HIV medical care who are virally suppressed to at least 90 percent.
Indicator 12 (Developmental)
Increase the number of adults prescribed PrEP by at least 200 percent.
Indicator 13 (Developmental)
Decrease stigma among persons with diagnosed HIV infection by at least 25 percent.
We All Deserve Better 