OBJECTIVES: This report presents estimates of HIV prevalence, the association of HIV status with key risk factors, and the prevalence of antiretroviral drug use among HIV-infected adults, based on the 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS: HIV prevalence was estimated based on 10,466 NHANES respondents aged 18–59 during 2007–2012. Starting in 2009, the NHANES age range for HIV antibody testing was expanded from age group 18–49 to age group 18–59. HIV prevalence for 2007–2012 was estimated using 6 years of data and corresponding weights for participants aged 18–49 from NHANES 2007–2012, and 4 years of data and corresponding weights for participants aged 50–59 from NHANES 2009–2012. This HIV prevalence calculation assumes that HIV prevalence, and the relationship between prevalence and levels of all relevant cofactors, were the same between survey periods 2007–2008 and 2009–2012 for adults aged 50–59. HIV antibody status was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibody to HIV, followed by confirmatory Western blot for those with a positive ELISA test. RESULTS: During 2007–2012, the overall HIV prevalence among adults aged 18–59 residing in U.S. households was 0.39%. Men were more likely to be HIV-infected than women, and non-Hispanic black persons were more likely to be HIV-infected than all other race and Hispanic origin subgroups combined. HIV infection was associated with high-risk populations, including those with herpes simplex virus type 2 infection, 10 or more lifetime sexual partners, a history of prior sexually transmitted infection, or a history of same-sex sexual contact among men. One-half of HIV-infected adults were on antiretroviral therapy (51.9%). Among HIV-infected adults, 86.1% reported any lifetime history of HIV testing outside of blood donations. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.
OBJECTIVES: This report presents estimates of HIV prevalence, the association of HIV status with key risk factors, and the prevalence of antiretroviral drug use among HIV-infected adults, based on the 2007–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). METHODS: HIV prevalence was estimated based on 10,466 NHANES respondents aged 18–59 during 2007–2012. Starting in 2009, the NHANES age range for HIV antibody testing was expanded from age group 18–49 to age group 18–59. HIV prevalence for 2007–2012 was estimated using 6 years of data and corresponding weights for participants aged 18–49 from NHANES 2007–2012, and 4 years of data and corresponding weights for participants aged 50–59 from NHANES 2009–2012. This HIV prevalence calculation assumes that HIV prevalence, and the relationship between prevalence and levels of all relevant cofactors, were the same between survey periods 2007–2008 and 2009–2012 for adults aged 50–59. HIV antibody status was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibody to HIV, followed by confirmatory Western blot for those with a positive ELISA test. RESULTS: During 2007–2012, the overall HIV prevalence among adults aged 18–59 residing in U.S. households was 0.39%. Men were more likely to be HIV-infected than women, and non-Hispanic black persons were more likely to be HIV-infected than all other race and Hispanic origin subgroups combined. HIV infection was associated with high-risk populations, including those with herpes simplex virus type 2infection, 10 or more lifetime sexual partners, a history of prior sexually transmitted infection, or a history of same-sex sexual contact among men. One-half of HIV-infected adults were on antiretroviral therapy (51.9%). Among HIV-infected adults, 86.1% reported any lifetime history of HIV testing outside of blood donations. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.