HIV & AIDS in the United States Update: 2015 HIV Surveillance Report

According to the annual report released by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention HIV rates have decreased among both men and women and among African Americans and Latino populations.

The report highlights a number of key trends for 2010-2014, including the following:

• The annual numbers and rates of HIV diagnoses decreased overall and among both women and men
• HIV diagnosis rates decreased among African Americans, Latinos and whites
• HIV diagnosis rates increased among people ages 25 to 29, remained stable among those ages 20-24, and decreased among other age groups
• The annual number of diagnoses attributed to male-to-male sexual contact remained stable, while the number
• attributed to heterosexual contact or injection drug use decreased
• The annual number and rate of deaths of persons with diagnosed HIV decreased
• HIV prevalence reached an all-time high; at the end of 2014, more than 955,000 people were living with diagnosed

While trends in HIV diagnoses are influenced by testing rates, and may not always reflect trends in actual HIV transmission, the declines seen in this report suggest that national HIV prevention efforts are paying off, while signaling the urgent need for intensified prevention among young people and men who have sex with men.

In a continuing effort to decrease HIV and Hepatitis C transmission in the county, Jefferson County Public Health opened the newest approved syringe exchange program in Colorado joining locations in Boulder County, Denver Metro, Fort Collins, Pueblo and Grand Junction.

The new program, named Points West, is a harm reduction program committed to stopping the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in Jefferson County.  Points West is located at the Jefferson County Public Health clinic, 645 Parfet Street in Lakewood.   Syringe exchange services are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM. No appointment is necessary and services are free and confidential to all participants of the program.   For more information about Points West Syringe Access Program call the Jefferson County Public Health department at 303.232.6301.