Adolescents and young adults represent
4 percent of diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases

[DEC. 1, 2004]  ATLANTA, Ga. -- Today there are an estimated 850,000 to 950,000 HIV-positive individuals living in the United States -- the largest number ever -- according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of these, 180,000 to 280,000 people do not know they are infected and thus are suffering from a lack of treatment, while at the same time they may be unknowingly spreading the virus. About 225,000 more who do know their status aren't getting the care they need. These numbers will continue to grow unless everyone takes decisive action against the disease.1

Know the facts and educate, motivate and mobilize against HIV-AIDS

Of the estimated 886,575 AIDS cases diagnosed in the United States since the beginning of the epidemic through 2002, 36,299 were among people 13-24 years of age.²

An estimated total of 5,108 adolescents 13-19 years of age were diagnosed with AIDS through 2002.³IDS!

Overall, adolescents and young adults (ages 13-24) :

• Account for 1,909 new AIDS diagnoses in 2002, including 76 among adolescents 13-14 years old and 1,833 among young adults 15-24 years old.²
• Account for an estimated 11 percent of HIV cases newly diagnosed in 2002.²

Female adolescents and young adults:

• Represent an estimated 41 percent of HIV cases newly diagnosed in this age group in 2002.³

African-American adolescents and young adults:

• Account for 46 percent of total AIDS cases diagnosed in people 13-24 years old through 2002.³
• Account for 61 percent of AIDS cases newly diagnosed in 2002 among 13- to 24-year-olds.
• Represent an estimated 62 percent of all individuals newly diagnosed with HIV for ages 20-24 in 2002.³
• Account for 39 percent of total AIDS cases diagnosed through 2002 for males ages 13-24.³
• Account for 60 percent of total AIDS cases diagnosed through 2002 for females ages 13-24.³
• Represent an estimated 74 percent of all young women between 13 and 19 years of age newly diagnosed with HIV in 2002.³

Hispanic adolescents and young adults:

• Account for 22 percent of AIDS cases newly diagnosed in 2002 among 13- to 24-year-olds.³
• Represent an estimated 11 percent of all persons ages 20-24 who were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2002.³
• Account for 21 percent of total AIDS cases diagnosed in people 13-24 years old through 2002.³

White adolescents and young adults:

• Represent an estimated 25 percent of all individuals ages 20-24 who were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2002.³

The terms "African-American" and "black" are used interchangeably to include those individuals who self-identify as either. The term "Hispanic" includes those individuals who self-identify as "Latino(a)" or "Hispanic."

¹ Fleming, P.L., et al., "HIV Prevalence in the United States, 2000," 9th Annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, Feb. 24-28, 2002, Seattle, Wash., Abstract 11.

² Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2002, Vol. 14.

³ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Supplemental Report, Vol. 10, No 1.

⁴ U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Table NA-EST2002-ASRO-04, National Population Estimates, Characteristics (June 2003).

The Leadership Campaign on AIDS is a program of the Office of HIV/AIDS Policy; phone [phone]; www.hhs.gov.

Did you know?

• An estimated 886,575 Americans have been diagnosed with AIDS from the beginning of the epidemic through 2002. Of the 42,136 estimated new diagnoses in 2002, 74 percent were male and 26 percent were female. Less than 1 percent were children under 13.2
• African-Americans account for 39 percent of total estimated AIDS diagnoses through 2002,2 though they make up only 12.7 percent of the population.4 They also represent an estimated 54 percent of people newly diagnosed with HIV in 2002.2*
• Hispanics account for 18 percent of total estimated AIDS diagnoses through 2002,2 though they make up only 13.4 percent of the population.4
• The number of Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians and Alaska natives living with AIDS continues to rise, with an approximately 10 percent increase each year over the past five years.2
• Women of color account for 80 percent of all women estimated to be living with AIDS. Women across racial and ethnic groups most commonly report heterosexual contact or injection drug use as their primary modes of exposure to HIV, while males most commonly report homosexual contact and injection drug use.2

To learn more

• Visit the CDC National Prevention Information Network at www.cdcnpin.org or call 1 [phone].

• Visit the HIV/AIDS Observance Days site at www.omhrc.gov/hivaidsobservances.

• Call the national AIDS toll-free line at (800) 342-AIDS, (800) 344-SIDA for Spanish or TTY [phone].

• Call your doctor or other health care provider.

• Contact your local or state public health department.

[Centers for Disease Control and Prevention]