Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States Must Start with the South

Excerpt

The United States (U.S.) is at a crossroads for addressing the HIV epidemic in the southern states (“the South”). Since the height of the HIV epidemic in the late 1980s, prevention work has yielded tremendous successes. Scientific analyses, informed programmatic interventions, and community mobilization have substantially reduced new HIV diagnoses annually. However, progress has stagnated in recent years, as annual HIV diagnoses remain stable at approximately 40,000, and HIV-related disparities persist [1]. Disparities are especially evident in the South. Despite comprising just 38% of the U.S. population, the South represented 52% of HIV diagnoses and 45% of persons living with diagnosed HIV infection in 2017 [1]. Moreover, approximately 50% of all undiagnosed HIV infections during 2010–2016 occurred in the South [2]. The factors that contribute to the disproportionate HIV burden in the South are complex and multi-layered. The solutions will require in-kind responses to address these disparities. …