In 2005, a total of 1,707,783 records of HIV tests were submitted to CDC by the 45 health departments. Of these records, 603,470 (35%) were from non-Hispanic whites, and 343,482 (20%) were from Hispanics. Compared with testing among non-Hispanic whites, HIV testing among Hispanics was more common among women (54% vs. 48%), heterosexuals (76% vs. 65%), persons in the Northeastern United States (29% vs. 18%) and Puerto Rico (9.1% vs. <0.1%), and tests conducted confidentially (91% vs. 83%). Fewer of the HIV tests conducted among Hispanics were among men who have sex with men (MSM) (8.6%) as compared to tests among non-Hispanic whites (13.7%). Hispanics had a higher percentage than non-Hispanic whites had for having a previously undiagnosed HIV infection (0.9% vs 0.6%) and receiving posttest counseling more than 2 weeks after the test was conducted (40% vs. 29%) (Table 1).

The percentage of previously undiagnosed HIV in tests among Hispanics was higher among men than women (1.5% vs. 0.5%), older persons than younger persons (1.6% for > 50 years old, 1.7% for 40–49 years old, 1.2% for 30–39 years old, 0.7% for 20–29 years old, and 0.3% for 13–19 years old), persons tested in a non-clinical setting (1.4%) or unspecified location (1.7%) than a clinical setting (0.7%), and persons tested anonymously rather than confidentially (1.3% vs. 0.9%). The percentage of previously undiagnosed HIV in tests among Hispanics was highest among persons tested in Puerto Rico (2.4%) compared to other geographic locations, and MSM (4.2%), MSM-injection drug users (MSM/IDUs) (4.3%), and IDUs (1.8%) compared to other risk groups (Table 2).

Go to Discussion