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HIV prevalence rates declined among US military applicants
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HIV seroprevalence rates among applicants for US military service decreased by more than 50% during a recent 4-year period, according to study findings published in the Medical Surveillance Monthly Report.
The current report is an update of HIV screening and seroprevalence rates among civilian applicants for the armed forces. It also contains such data for active and reserve military members.
Results indicated ongoing decreases in antibody prevalence among applicants. Since screening became routine in 1990, prevalence was lowest in 2010 and 2012.
A 53% decline in prevalence rates occurred between 2008 and 2012. The rate was 0.49 per 1,000 individuals tested in 2008 and 0.23 per 1,000 in 2012.
Between January 2012 and June 2013, 540,914 HIV tests were performed among 519,723 civilian applicants for US military service. The findings show that 101 tests came back positive for antibodies, for a prevalence rate of 0.19 per 1,000 individuals tested.
Men had higher seroprevalence rates every year. However, the prevalence rate declined by 52% among men and by 65% among women between 2008 and 2012.
Higher rates were reported among black, non-Hispanic applicants each year of testing. In 2012, the rate was 0.88 per 1,000 individuals tested among black or non-Hispanic applicants vs. 0.12 per 1,000 among Hispanic/other applicants and 0.08 per 1,000 among white, non-Hispanics.
However, despite this discrepancy, a 49% decrease was reported among black, non-Hispanic applicants between 2008 and 2010. The rate was 1.79 per 1,000 in 2008 and 0.91 per 1,000 in 2010. This trend remained stable through 2012.
Higher seroprevalence rates were reported in the Army and Navy than in the Marine Corps and Air Force. Army and Air Force reservists had consistently lower rates than active duty members in those services. These trends reflect discrepancies that exist across and within all four of the military components.
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