HIV Among Asians

Between 2005 and 2014 the Asian population in the United States grew around 24%, more than three times as fast as the total U.S. population. During the same period, the number of Asians receiving an HIV diagnosis increased by nearly 70%. Asians continue to account for only 2% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States and 6 dependent areas.^a

The Numbers

HIV and AIDS Diagnosis^b

• Asians accounted for 2% (1,047) of the estimated 44,784 new HIV diagnoses in the United States and 6 dependent areas in 2014.
• Of Asians diagnosed with HIV infection in 2014, 86% (900) were men and 13% (137) were women.
• Gay and bisexual men accounted for 89% (799) of all HIV diagnoses among Asian men in 2014. Among Asian women, 94% (129) of HIV diagnoses were attributed to heterosexual contact.^c
• From 2005 to 2014, HIV diagnoses among Asian gay and bisexual men in the United States increased 101%.
• In 2014, an estimated 353 Asians were diagnosed with AIDS, representing 2% of the estimated 21,318 AIDS diagnoses in the United States and 6 dependent areas.

Living With HIV^d

• Of the 15,500 Asians estimated to be living with HIV in the United States in 2012, 21% (3,200) were undiagnosed. By comparison, 13% of all persons living with HIV in the United States were undiagnosed.
• Of Asians diagnosed with HIV in 2013, 82% were linked to HIV medical care within 3 months of diagnosis.^e
• Of Asians who had been living with diagnosed HIV for at least a year at the end of 2012, 53% were retained in care (receiving continuous HIV medical care) and 54% had achieved viral suppression.

Prevention Challenges

There are some behaviors that put everyone at risk for HIV. These include having vaginal or anal sex without a condom or without being on medicines that prevent HIV, or sharing injection drug equipment with someone who has HIV. Factors that affect Asians particularly include:

• Undiagnosed HIV. Over 1 in 5 (21%) Asians living with HIV do not know they have it. People living with undiagnosed HIV cannot obtain the care they need to stay healthy and may transmit HIV to others.
• Cultural factors. Some Asians may avoid seeking testing, counseling, or treatment because of language barriers or fear of discrimination, the stigma of homosexuality, immigration issues, or fear of bringing shame to their families.
• Limited research. Limited research about Asian health and HIV infection has resulted in few targeted prevention programs and behavioral interventions in this population.
• Data limitations. The reported number of HIV cases among Asians may not reflect the true number of HIV diagnoses in this population because of race/ethnicity misidentification. This could lead to the underestimation of HIV infection in this population.

What CDC Is Doing

CDC and its partners are pursuing a high-impact prevention approach to advance the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, maximize the effectiveness of current HIV prevention methods, and improve surveillance among Asians. Funding state, territorial, and local health departments is CDC’s largest investment in HIV prevention.

• CDC provides support and technical assistance to health departments and community-based organizations to deliver prevention programs for Asians, such as The Banyan Tree Project.
• Capacity Building Assistance for High-Impact HIV Prevention provides technical assistance in capacity building to the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum and the Asian and Pacific Islander Wellness Center.
• The CDC publication Effective HIV Surveillance Among Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders outlines successful HIV surveillance activities for health departments in states with large populations of Asians.
• CDC is raising awareness through the Act Against AIDS campaigns, including
  • Doing It, a new national HIV testing and prevention campaign that encourages all adults to know their HIV status and protect themselves and their community by making HIV testing a part of their regular health routine;
  • Let’s Stop HIV Together, which raises HIV awareness and fights stigma among all Americans and provides many stories about people living with HIV; and
  • HIV Treatment Works, which highlights how men and women who are living with HIV have overcome barriers.

^a Dependent areas include American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Republic of Palau, and the US Virgin Islands.
^b HIV and AIDS diagnoses indicate when a person was diagnosed with HIV infection or AIDS, not when the person was infected.
^c Heterosexual contact with a person known to have, or to be at high risk for, HIV infection.
^d Unless otherwise noted, Asians have HIV care outcomes similar to all races/ethnicities combined.
^e Data for medical care and viral suppression are from 27 states and the District of Columbia (the areas with complete lab reporting by December 2014).