Fewer blacks than whites receive HIV medical care, according to a February 2017 Morbidity and Mortality Reports.
CDC researchers used National HIV Surveillance System data from people diagnosed with HIV through 2012 who were alive at year-end 2013. Of those cases, 68.1% of blacks vs 74.4% of whites received any HIV medical care. About half (53.5%) of blacks received continuous HIV medical care, as did 58.2% of whites. Of the 2 groups, 48.5% of blacks and 62% of whites achieved viral suppression.
Among patients with HIV infection diagnosed in 2014, 21.9% of blacks and 22.5% of whites were classified with HIV stage 3 (AIDS). Stage 3 infections were most common in patients aged > 55 years. Of diagnosed patients, 71.6% of blacks and 79% of whites were linked to care within 1 month after diagnosis.
The lowest levels of care and viral suppression were found among people with infection attributed to injection drug use and men with infection attributed to heterosexual contact. Linkage to care and viral load suppression were lower among people aged < 35 years.
To reach the 2020 national goals set for HIV/AIDS—85% linkage to care, 90% retention in care, and 80% viral load suppression—the CDC says tailored strategies are critical to getting more black patients with HIV into care. Prompt linkage after diagnosis allows HIV treatments to start sooner, reducing morbidity, mortality, and transmission of HIV.