11 Facts About HIV and AIDS in the US

Welcome to DoSomething.org, a global movement of millions of young people making positive change, online and off! The 11 facts you want are below, and the sources for the facts are at the very bottom of the page. After you learn something, Do Something! Find out how to take action here.

“To connect with services and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, find and call your state’s HIV/AIDS hotline. Additional resources can be found at the bottom of this page.”

1. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, and AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV, when the body’s immune system is heavily weakened.^[“HIV/AIDS: The Basics.” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/19/45/hiv-aids--the-basics. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
2. HIV transmission can occur when certain bodily fluids (blood, semen, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, and breast milk) from a person who is HIV-positive get into the bloodstream of a person who is HIV-negative. Some common ways this may happen are through unprotected sex and sharing needles. HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva, sweat, sneezes, or skin-to-skin contact.^["How Is HIV Transmitted?” HIV.gov https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/how-is-hiv-transmitted. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
3. Advances in treatment have substantially reduced AIDS-related deaths and extended the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. For young people who start treatment for HIV early in their diagnosis, life expectancy is near-normal at 78 years.^["The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States." Kaiser Family Foundation. http://kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/the-hivaids-epidemic-in-the-united-states/. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019. “Survival of HIV-Positive Patients…” The Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration.https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(17)30066-8/fulltext. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
4. The first few cases of AIDS in the US occurred in 1981. Since then, more than 700,000 people have died of AIDS-related illness.^[“The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in the United States: The Basics.” Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/the-hivaids-epidemic-in-the-united-states-the-basics/. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
5. About 1.1 million people in the US are living with HIV today. About 1 in 7 people living with HIV is unaware of their diagnosis.^[“U.S Statistics.” HIV.gov. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
6. In 2018, 27 US states had HIV criminalization laws, which are policies that create new or more severe legal guidelines for folks living with HIV based on their HIV-positive status. They’re usually built from misconceptions about the virus and its transmission.^[“Advancing HIV Justice.” HIV Justice Network. http://www.hivjustice.net/advancing3/. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
7. Despite the widespread availability of HIV testing, only 46% of adults in the US have ever been tested for HIV, and only 8% have been tested in the last year.^["HIV Testing in the United States.” Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/hiv-testing-in-the-united-states/. Access Nov. 26, 2019]]
8. From 2012 to 2018, the number of new HIV diagnoses in the US remained stable (not spiking or dropping) at about 38,000 cases each year. However, the number of diagnoses has increased among certain populations.^["HIV Surveillance Report.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/overview/index.html. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
9. In the US, men who identified as gay or bisexual were the population most affected by HIV in 2017, accounting for 66% of all HIV diagnoses.^[“U.S Statistics.” HIV.gov. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
10. By race/ethnicity, African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos were disproportionately affected by HIV in 2017. African Americans accounted for 43% of new HIV diagnoses and 13% of the population, while Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 26% of new HIV diagnoses and 18% of the population.^[“U.S Statistics.” HIV.gov. https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]
11. Federal funding for HIV research has increased from a few hundred thousand dollars in 1982 to more than $34.8 billion in 2019.^["U.S. Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS: Trends Over Time." Kaiser Family Foundation.https://www.kff.org/hivaids/fact-sheet/u-s-federal-funding-for-hivaids-trends-over-time/. Accessed Nov. 26, 2019.]

Additional Resources:

Learn More: Visit this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

HIV Testing: Learn more about HIV testing with this guide from STDTesting.org.

HIV/AIDS: Call your state’s HIV/AIDS hotline, and find HIV care services near you

Suicide: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, open 24 hours at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Substance Abuse: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMSA) National Helpline, open 24 hours at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

LGBTQ+ Support: TrevorLifeline, open 24 hours at 1-866-488-7386