As HIV Diagnoses Drop, The South Lags Behind

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show new cases of HIV infection have dropped by almost 20 percent in the past decade.

But many Southern states – including North Carolina – are behind the curve when it comes to identifying and treating the illness.

According to the CDC, Southern states bear the brunt of the burden when it comes to infection, illness, and death from HIV. The region accounts for an estimated 44 percent of all HIV cases in the U.S., while making up just 37 percent of the population.

Perhaps the starkest example of this regional disparity comes via the HIV death rate: a patient in Louisiana is almost three times more likely to die after infection than a patient in Vermont.

North Carolina fares a little better, but still lags behind the national death rate: 20 of every 1,000 people with the virus died in 2012. The national average was 19.2.

Meanwhile the state is right in line with the national average – 87 percent – for people with HIV who are aware of their status.

While the rate of new cases has slowed for everyone, the Centers' December report shows progress in fighting HIV has been spotty among some populations, particularly gay and bisexual men. It also continues to disproportionately affect African-Americans, and particularly black women.

Despite the slowdown in transmission rates, the CDC still identifies HIV as a “substantial threat” to public health. The latest data estimate about 1.2 million Americans live with the virus, with about 40,000 new infections diagnosed each year.