Social Networks Testing: A Community-Based Strategy for Identifying Persons with Undiagnosed HIV Infection

by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

An estimated 40,000 persons in the United States become infected with HIV every year (1). Of the one million persons living with HIV in the United States, approximately 250,000 are not aware of their infection and their risk for transmitting HIV to others. Of those who are unaware, many are diagnosed late in the course of their infection, after a prolonged asymptomatic period during which further transmission may have occurred. Persons who are diagnosed late in their infection miss a valuable opportunity to start HIV care and are at greater risk for AIDS-related complications (than those diagnosed earlier). Therefore, it is a national priority to identify HIV-infected persons and link them to medical, prevention, and other services as soon as possible after they become infected.

38 pages, Paperback

First published July 23, 2014