Each year, the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) publishes a national surveillance report which summarizes data on cases of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States and dependent areas.  We are revising the HIV Surveillance Report in response to customer feedback and our recognition of the need to present data that will best meet the needs of data users.

The first report using the revised format is expected to be published in early 2010 and will present data for cases of HIV infection and AIDS diagnosed in the United States and dependent areas through December 2008.  This summary explains the upcoming changes to the annual HIV Surveillance Report.

Revisions to the HIV Surveillance Report include the following:

Terminology

1. New terminology for diagnoses of HIV infection with and without AIDS

   The term HIV/AIDS—previously used to refer to a new diagnosis of HIV infection regardless of the person’s AIDS status at the time of diagnosis—will be replaced with the term “diagnosis of HIV infection”.

   The title of the publication will be changed to reflect the new terminology; the report will now be labeled: HIV Surveillance Report.

2. The text “high-risk” will be removed from the “high-risk heterosexual contact” transmission category label

   This returns the label to as it was prior to the 2005 surveillance report. The explanatory footnote will remain, as it clarifies for the reader how the data are defined.

General Data Display

1. Display of data by year of diagnosis (or death), not year of report

   Data will no longer be presented by year of report to CDC. All data (adjusted and unadjusted) will be presented by year of diagnosis (or death).

2. Duplicate tables for HIV and AIDS, and for tables without and with data from dependent areas

   Each data analysis will be presented in two formats: The first table will exclude data from the dependent areas and the second table will include data from the dependent areas.

   CDC currently does not provide subpopulation rates for the 5 U.S. dependent areas due to the lack of appropriate denominator data by race/ethnicity for these areas. CDC is collaborating with the U.S. Census Bureau to evaluate methods for estimating rates for Puerto Rico and other dependent areas.

3. Columns for data by number, estimated number, rate

   As in previous surveillance reports, rates will not be provided for transmission categories due to the lack of denominator data for these populations. However, DHAP is reviewing feasibility of developing national population estimates for risk groups.

Surveillance Report Sections

1. Diagnoses of HIV infection and AIDS

   Tables presenting diagnoses of HIV infection will include:

   • Data from areas with long-term confidential name-based HIV infection reporting. For the 2008 report, data will be included from 37 states and 5 U.S. dependent areas.
   • Data for the most recent 4-year period.

   Tables presenting AIDS diagnoses will include:

   • Data from the United States (50 states and the District of Columbia) as well as from the 5 U.S. dependent areas.
   • Data for the most recent 4-year period.
2. Deaths and survival among persons diagnosed with HIV infection or AIDS

   Due to delays in reporting of deaths, 3 years of death data will be displayed which will not include data for the most recent year. For the 2008 report, data will be presented for persons who died during 2005–2007. This is to allow at least 18 months for deaths to be reported.

   Survival tables will be based on 5 years of diagnosis data (HIV or AIDS) and will present data for persons who survived 12, 24, and 36 months after an HIV or AIDS diagnosis.

3. Persons Living with HIV Infection or AIDS

   Due to delays in reporting of deaths, 3 years of prevalence data will be displayed which will not include data for the most recent year. For the 2008 report, data will be presented for persons living at the end of each year with HIV infection or AIDS during 2005–2007. This is to allow at least 18 months for deaths to be reported and those cases to be removed from displays of prevalent (living) cases.

4. HIV infection and AIDS data for States and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs)

   Will now include numerical rankings based on HIV diagnosis rates (by MSA only)