HIV/AIDS, Injection Drug Use, and Race
Related Chapters:
- Civil and Human Rights
- Hepatitis C and Injection Drug Use
- HIV and Injection Drug Use
- Supervised Consumption Spaces
- Syringe Service Programs
Datatables:
- Persons In The US Living with Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS), by Transmission Method
- AIDS-Related Deaths Among State Prison Inmates 2008-2010 By Race/Ethnicity
Page last updated Nov. 19, 2020 by Doug McVay, Editor/Senior Policy Analyst
1. Persons Living with HIV Infection Ever Classified As Stage 3 (AIDS) In The US, by Race and Ethnicity "From 2010 through 2014, the number and rate of persons living with infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) increased (Table 19a). At year-end 2014, 521,002 persons in the United States were living with infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS). The prevalence rate of infections classified as stage 3 (AIDS) was 163.4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2015; vol. 27, Table 21b, pp. 9-10. Published November 2016. Last accessed March 3, 2017. |
2. Rates of Diagnoses of Stage 3 HIV (AIDS) In The US, by Race/Ethnicity "From 2008 through 2012, rates decreased for all race/ethnicity groups: American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians/other Pacific Islanders, whites, and persons of multiple races. In 2012, the rates were 36.4 for blacks/African Americans, 15.2 for persons of multiple races, 10.2 for Hispanics/Latinos, 6.2 for Native Hawaiians/other Pacific Islanders, 4.9 for American Indians/Alaska Natives, 3.5 for whites, and 2.7 for Asians. Please use caution when interpreting data for Native Hawaiians/other Pacific Islanders: the numbers are small." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2012; vol. 24, p. 7. Published November 2014. Accessed February 21, 2015. |
3. Persons in the US and 6 Dependent Areas Living with HIV, by Race/Ethnicity According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), at year-end 2014 there were an estimated total of 972,813 persons living with an HIV diagnosis in the US states and 6 dependent territories. Of these, 2,909 were American Indian/Alaska Native, 12,370 were Asian, 405,644 were Black/African-American, 215,721 were Hispanic/Latino, 881 were Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 300,231 were White, and 35,057 were multiple races. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2015; vol. 27, Table 20b, p. 94. Published November 2016. Last accessed December 6, 2017. |
4. HIV Diagnoses Attributed to Injection Drug Use by Race and Ethnicity "From 2014 through 2018 in the United States and 6 dependent areas, the percentage of diagnoses of HIV infection attributed to injection drug use increased. In 2018, among 1,434 male adult and adolescent PWID with diagnosed HIV infection, approximately 41% were white, 30% were black/African American, and 24% were Hispanic/Latino (Figure 18). Among 1,058 female adult and adolescent PWID with diagnosed HIV infection, 50% were white, 30% black/African American, and 15% Hispanic/Latino. Please use caution when interpreting data for American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander PWID, and persons of multiple races who inject drugs: the numbers are small." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2018 (Updated); vol.31. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library.... Published May 2020. |
5. HIV Diagnoses Associated With Injection Drug Use by Region and Race/Ethnicity "In 2018 in the United States and 6 dependent areas, 2,492 diagnosed HIV infections were among PWID. Of these, the largest number of HIV infection diagnoses were in the South (976), followed by the Northeast (595) (Figure 19). In all regions, the largest percentage of diagnosed HIV infections among PWID was among whites. In the South, whites accounted for 436 diagnosed HIV infections among PWID (45%), blacks/African Americans accounted for 359 (37%), and Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 143 (15%) (Table 6b). In the Northeast, whites accounted for 212 diagnosed HIV infections among PWID (36%), blacks/African Americans accounted for 206 (35%), and Hispanics/Latinos accounted for 152 (26%). Please use caution when interpreting data for American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander PWID, and persons of multiple races who inject drugs: the numbers are small." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2018 (Updated); vol.31. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library.... Published May 2020. |
6. New HIV Infections Among Youths in the US, by Transmission Method "In 2010, of the estimated 47,500 new HIV infections, 12,200 (25.7%) were among youths (10,100 [82.8%] among males and 2,100 [17.2%] among females). An estimated 7,000 (57.4%) newly infected youths were blacks/African Americans (5,600 males and 1,400 females), 2,390 (19.6%) were Hispanics/Latinos (2,100 males and 290 females), and 2,380 (19.5%) were whites (2,100 males and 280 females) (Figure 2). By transmission category, 72.1% of all new HIV infections among youths were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 19.8% to heterosexual contact,†† 4.0% to injection drug use, and 3.7% to male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use. Among females, 85.7% of infections were attributed to heterosexual contact and 12.9% to injection drug use. Among males, 87.1% of infections were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 6.0% to heterosexual contact, 2.2% to injection drug use, and 4.5% to male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use. Of the 8,800 new infections among youths attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, 4,800 (54.4%) were among blacks/African Americans, 1,900 (21.6%) among Hispanics/Latinos, and 1,800 (20.5%) among whites." Centers for Disease Control, "Vital Signs: HIV Infection, Testing, and Risk Behaviors Among Youths - United States," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Vol. 61, No. 47 (Atlanta, GA: CDC, Nov. 30, 2012), p. 972. |
7. Persons In The US Living with Diagnosed HIV Infection Ever Classified as Stage 3 (AIDS), by Transmission Method "From 2010 through 2014, the number and rate of persons living with infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS) increased (Table 19a). At year-end 2014, 521,002 persons in the United States were living with infection ever classified as stage 3 (AIDS). The prevalence rate of infections classified as stage 3 (AIDS) was 163.4." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2015; vol. 27, Table 21b, p. 9 and pp. 97-98. Published November 2016. Last accessed March 3, 2017. |
8. AIDS-Related Deaths Among State Prison Inmates 2008-2010 By Race/Ethnicity "AIDS-related deaths among all state and federal prison inmates declined an average 16% per year between 2001 and 2010, from 24 deaths per 100,000 inmates in 2001 to 5 per 100,000 in 2010. Maruschak, Laura M. "HIV In Prisons, 2001-2010," (Washington, DC: US Dept. of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics), NCJ 238877, Sept. 2012. |
9. AIDS Deaths in Local Jails in the US From 2000 through 2014, a total of 569 people died from AIDS-related illnesses while serving time in a local jail in the US. Of those, 98 were white non-Latinx, 395 were black non-Latinx, 73 were Latinx, and 3 were "other." Noonan, Margaret E., "Mortality in Local Jails, 2000-2014 - Statistical Tables" (Washington, DC: US Dept of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, Dec. 2016), NCJ250169, Tables 1 and 2, p. 5; Table 8, p. 10; and Table 21, p. 20. |
10. Leading Causes of Death Among African-Americans, 2008 According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among African-Americans in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the tenth leading cause of death overall. It was the eight leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 16-19, the sixth leading cause for African-Americans aged 20-24, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 25-34, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 35-44, the fourth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 45-54, and the eighth leading cause of death for African-Americans aged 55-64. Heron, Melonie P., PhD, "Deaths: Leading Causes for 2008," National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 60, No. 6 (Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, June 6, 2012), p. 32, Table 1. |
11. HIV/AIDS Among African-Americans, 2001 " More than 165,000 African Americans were living with injection-related AIDS or had already died from it by the end of 2001. Many thousands more were infected with the HIV virus. Dawn Day, Ph.D., Health Emergency 2003: The Spread of Drug-Related AIDS and Hepatitis C Among African Americans and Latinos (The Dogwood Center: Princeton, NJ, 2002), p. i. |
12. Leading Causes of Death Among Hispanics, 2008 According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among Hispanics in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the eighth leading cause of death for Hispanics aged 20-24, the sixth leading cause of death among Hispanics aged 25-34, the seventh leading cause for Hispanics aged 35-44, and the seventh leading cause of death for Hispanics aged 45-54. Heron, Melonie P., PhD, "Deaths: Leading Causes for 2008," National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 60, No. 6 (Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, June 6, 2012), p. 54-55, Table 2. |
13. Leading Causes of Death for Non-Hispanic Whites, 2008 According to the US Centers for Disease Control, among non-Hispanic Whites in the US in 2008 HIV/AIDS was the ninth leading cause of death for Non-Hispanic Whites aged 35-44. Heron, Melonie P., PhD, "Deaths: Leading Causes for 2008," National Vital Statistics Reports, Vol. 60, No. 6 (Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, June 6, 2012), pp. 61-62, Table 2. |
14. HIV/AIDS Among Latinos, 2001 " More than 76,000 Latinos living in the United States and Puerto Rico had injection-related AIDS or had already died from it by the end of 2001. Thousands more were infected with the HIV virus. Dawn Day, Ph.D., Health Emergency 2003: The Spread of Drug-Related AIDS and Hepatitis C Among African Americans and Latinos (The Dogwood Center: Princeton, NJ, 2002), p. i. |
15. HIV in Jails "Among jail inmates in 2002 who had ever been tested for HIV, Hispanics (2.9%) were more than 3 times as likely as whites (0.8%) and twice as likely as blacks (1.2%) to report being HIV positive." Maruschak, Laura M. "HIV In Prisons and Jails, 2002," NCJ-205333 (Washington, DC: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Dec. 2004), p. 1. |