MMWR: Vital Signs: HIV Infection, Testing, and Risk Behaviors Among Youths - United States

In this report, the CDC used the National HIV Surveillance System data to estimate among youths, prevalence rates of diagnosed HIV infection in 2009 and the number of new infections in 2010. CDC used the 2009 and 2010 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System for 9th -12th grade students and the 2010 National Health Interview Survey for persons 18-24 years. Prevalence of diagnosed HIV was 69.5 per 100,000 youths at the end of 2009. Youth accounted for 12,200 (25.7 percent) new HIV infections in 2010. Of these, 7,000 (57.4 percent) were among blacks/African Americans; 2,390 (19.6 percent) among Hispanics/Latinos; and 2,380 (19.5 percent) among whites; and 8,800 (72.1 percent) of infections were acquired through male-to-male sexual contact. A disproportionate number of new HIV infections occurs among youth especially blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and men who have sex with men. The percentage of youth tested for HIV was low, particularly among males. The researchers suggest that more effort is needed to provide effective school-and community-based interventions for youth, especially MSM, to gain the knowledge, skills, resources, and support to avoid HIV infection. Also, health providers and agencies should ensure that youth are tested for HIV and have access to sexual health services, and that HIV-positive youth receive health care and prevention services.