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Top 5 stories for National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
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National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, observed annually on Sept. 27, was launched in 2008 by the National Association of People with AIDS to recognize the disproportionate impact of the epidemic on gay men.
“Over the years we have achieved encouraging milestone in the fight against HIV,” Johnathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said in a press release. “Yet gay and bisexual men of all races and ethnicities continue to be severely affected by HIV infection.”
Johnathan H. Mermin
In 2011, 54% of all people with HIV infection were men who have sex with men (MSM), according to a recent MMWR. Among MSM, 84% were diagnosed with HIV, 35% were receiving ART and 30% achieved viral suppression. In 2013, 67% of all new HIV diagnoses were in MSM.
“In response to these trends, we must reach all gay and bisexual men at risk for or living with HIV with scientifically proven HIV prevention strategies,” Mermin said in the release.
The CDC is addressing this issue by awarding approximately $37 million this year and up to $75 million over 3 years to 12 state and local health departments for the expansion of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM patients without HIV but at substantial risk. The funds also will go to “Data to Care,” a new public health initiative that monitors disease surveillance to improve clinical outcomes for patients with HIV. An additional $60 million over 4 years from the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund will support seven state and local health departments to create community initiatives that target gay and bisexual black men who are at a high risk for HIV infection.
“Recently, we have seen promising structural changes, like marriage equality, which may influence the social determinants of health that often make life more challenging for the LGBT community,” Mermin said. “These transformations have helped remove obstacles that can make living a full and healthy life more difficult and have helped reduce the stigma and discrimination that keep people from seeking the health care they need. We hope these positive trends will contribute to future decreases in HIV disease and improve the lives of gay and bisexual men.”
To coincide with National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Infectious Disease News has compiled a list of top stories on HIV in the past year.
HIV prevalence remains steady; infection rate higher in men, blacks
Results from the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed a nonsignificant reduction in HIV infection among U.S. adults and a higher prevalence among men and black participants, according to a recent CDC report. Read more.
HIV testing rates low for gay male adolescents
Gay and bisexual teenage boys were unlikely to undergo HIV testing, according to research published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Read more.
‘Substantial’ percentage of MSM fail to report male sex partners at testing
More than one-fifth of men who have sex with men newly identified with HIV infection did not report male sexual partners at the time of HIV testing, according to data published in MMWR. Read more.
‘On-demand’ PrEP regimen successful among MSM
An “on-demand” pre-exposure prophylaxis regimen was highly successful at preventing HIV among men who have sex with men, according to results of the ANRS Ipergay trial. Read more.
CDC grants community-based organizations $216 million for HIV prevention strategies
The CDC granted 90 community-based organizations $216 million over 5 years to support HIV prevention strategies, according to a press release. Read more.
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