Announcement: National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day–September 27, 2012

Announcement: National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day–September 27, 2012

Weekly

September 21, 2012 / 61(37);749

National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is observed each year on September 27 to focus on the continuing effects of the human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. By the end of 2009, more than 592,000 MSM were living with HIV infection, 52% of persons living with HIV infection in the United States (1).
Although MSM represent approximately 2% of the U.S. population (2), in 2009, they accounted for 64% of all new HIV infections (including MSM who also were injection drug users [3% of new infections]). During 2006–2009, the estimated number of new HIV infections among MSM was stable overall, but increased approximately 34% among MSM aged 13–29 years, and approximately 48% in black or African American MSM in that age group. In 2009, approximately 22% of new infections among MSM were among young black or African American MSM, the highest number of new infections among any age or race/ethnicity group of MSM (3).
CDC supports a range of efforts to reduce HIV infection among MSM. These include HIV prevention services to reduce the risk for acquiring and transmitting HIV, diagnosis of HIV infection, and linkage of MSM with HIV infection to treatment, including programs designed specifically for young black or African American MSM. Additional information about these efforts is available at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/msm. Additional information about National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is available at http://www.cdc.gov/features/ngmhaad.

References

1. CDC. Monitoring selected national HIV prevention and care objectives by using HIV surveillance data—United States and 6 U.S. dependent areas—2010. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report 2012;17(No. 3, part A).
2. Purcell DW, Johnson C, Lansky A, et al. Calculating HIV and syphilis rates for risk groups: estimating the national population size of MSM. Presented at the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference, Atlanta, GA; March 10, 2010.
3. Prejean J, Song R, Hernandez A, et al. Estimated HIV incidence in the United States, 2006–2009. PLoS ONE 2011; 6(8):1–13.