Arizona's battle with HIV is heating up, with new cases soaring to a 20% increase in 2022 - the largest uptick since the grim days of the 1980s epidemic. According to the 12 News report, over 1,000 Arizonans were hit with the life-changing diagnosis last year, bringing the state's total to 19,894 confirmed cases of people living with HIV or AIDS by year's end.
Efforts to combat the disease have ramped up accordingly. The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) reported a 19% rise in publicly-funded HIV testing, with more than 70,000 tests reported. In a silver lining moment amidst the alarming stats, nearly 80% of newly diagnosed individuals were swiftly linked to much-needed care services within the first month, an impressive effort to keep the virus in check. Yet, the rise in cases isn’t solely due to more testing; rates have risen higher than expected, suggesting the actual prevalence is climbing, and not just cases flushed out by increased testing.
Eric Morales of the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2017, stressed the crucial role of public discussion and testing to combat HIV, telling 12 News, "We are not going to end the virus until we all continue to talk about it normally, regularly and consistently, we need to make sure that we're ending the stigma really." The crusade against stigma is vital, Morales expressed, given the societal reservations surrounding the topic of HIV.
The landscape of HIV has changed dramatically over the years, with the disease no longer marking an automatic death sentence, thanks in part to prevention measures such as PrEP. Yet, ADHS' Ricardo Fernandez noted the need to aggressively push forward with testing and prevention, specifically among communities that underutilize such resources, saying, "We would like to see more folks taking that medication so that they can't acquire HIV, and particularly, among folks that are historically less well-served by the health care system."
Data from the HIV Surveillance 2023 Annual Report laid bare the demographics most affected by the latest surge. Men, especially those who have sex with men, encompassed a significant portion of the new cases. The highest incidence rates clustered among adults aged 30 to 34, with the Hispanic community accounting for a substantial share of the new cases. Meanwhile, the American Indian/Alaskan Native population stood out for their high treatment adherence rates across all stages of the HIV care continuum.
Testing and prevention services abound in Arizona, with agencies like Chicanos por la Causa offering free tests and the health department urging regular screening for those active sexually. Salvador Morales of Chicanos por la Causa highlighted the accessibility of help, “We are here and we're available and our services are free, and that we can provide the help that they may be seeking here, just around the corner in their neighborhood.” Resources are readily available not just at clinics but also at home, challenging Arizonans to take proactive steps in the face of this rising threat.
