This report complements the information in the 2002 HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report by providing detailed information, by race/ethnicity, about the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the United States. The Surveillance Supplemental Report: Cases of HIV Infection and AIDS in the United States, by Race/Ethnicity, 1998–2002, presents data on persons with HIV infection, including those in whom HIV infection has progressed to AIDS. These data are stratified by the following races and ethnic groups: black (non-Hispanic), white (non-Hispanic), Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native.

In this report, HIV/AIDS includes 3 categories of cases: (1) new diagnoses of HIV infection (not AIDS), (2) new diagnoses of HIV infection with later diagnosis of AIDS, and (3) concurrent diagnosis of HIV infection and AIDS. For analyses of HIV/AIDS, data were used from the 30 areas (i.e., 29 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands) that have had confidential name-based HIV infection reporting long enough (i.e., at least since 1998) for data collection to stabilize and for adjustment of the data to monitor trends. Tables 1 to 10 summarize the diagnoses and the prevalence of HIV/AIDS by race/ethnicity. For analysis of diagnoses of AIDS, we used data from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. dependencies, possession, and associated nations.

Report Highlights

• From 1999 through 2002, the number of diagnoses of HIV/AIDS in the 30 areas with confidential-name-based HIV infection reporting increased steadily among whites, Hispanics, and Asians/Pacific Islanders. The number of diagnoses among blacks remained stable; in 2002, blacks accounted for 54% of all new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS.
• Of all HIV infections in adults and adolescents that progressed to AIDS within 12 months after HIV infection was diagnosed during 2001, 32% occurred among whites, 55% among blacks, and 12% among Hispanics. Asians/Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Alaska Natives accounted for <1% each of all concurrent diagnoses of HIV and AIDS within one year.
• From 1998 through 2002, AIDS incidence steadily decreased among whites and Hispanics; however, AIDS incidence increased among blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Alaska Natives.
• In 2002, rates of AIDS diagnoses ranged from 75.4 per 100,000 black adults and adolescents to 4.6 per 100,000 of Asian/Pacific Islander adults and adolescents.
• At the end of 2002, an estimated 144,129 persons were known to be living with HIV (not AIDS) in the 30 areas with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting since 1998: 53% were black, 37% white, 9% Hispanic, and <1% each were American Indian/Alaska Native and Asians/Pacific Islanders.
• At the end of 2002, approximately 384,906 persons in the United States were living with AIDS: 42% were black, 37% white, 20% Hispanic, and <1% each were American Indian/Alaska Native or Asian/Pacific Islander.
• In 2002, 19,678 cases of HIV/AIDS in male adults and adolescents were reported from the 30 areas with confidential-name-based HIV infection reporting: of these persons, 45% were black, 41% white, 13% Hispanic, and <1% each were American Indian/Alaska Native or Asian/Pacific Islander.
• In 2002, 7,706 cases of HIV/AIDS in female adults and adolescents were reported from the 30 areas with confidential-name-based HIV infection reporting: of these persons, 70% were black, 20% white, 9% Hispanic, and <1% each were American Indian/Alaska Native or Asian/Pacific Islander.
• In 2002, 32,513 cases of AIDS in male adults and adolescents were reported in the United States: of these persons, 44% were black, 35% white, 20% Hispanic, 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and <1% were American Indian/Alaska Native.
• In 2002, 11,279 cases of AIDS in female adults and adolescents were reported among in the United States: of these persons, 65% were black, 17% white, 17% Hispanic, and <1% each were American Indian/Alaska Native or Asian/Pacific Islander.