According to a report released today (Thursday) by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), the number of Iowans diagnosed with HIV last year was down from 2016, but it was still the second highest on record. The Iowa HIV Disease End-of-Year 2017 Surveillance Report confirmed 125 Iowans were diagnosed with the disease, down from 137 the previous year. IDPH Bureau of HIV, STD and Hepatitis Data Manager, Nicole Kolm-Valdivia says, “The high number of diagnoses may be an indication people at risk for HIV are responding to an increased outreach and are getting tested.” She adds more treatment for HIV patients is a positive sign for everybody. African American and Latino communities are disproportionately impacted by HIV. African Americans represent only three percent of Iowa’s population but account for 30 percent of HIV cases, and Latinos are six percent of the population but make up 13 percent of cases. Men who have sex with men (MSM) is the leading exposure category for HIV, accounting for 56 percent of diagnoses. According to the IDPH, all Iowans between the ages of 15 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once in their lives. To view the report in its entirety, follow the link included with this story on our website.
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http://www.idph.iowa.gov/hivstdhep/hiv/data?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
