On National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, we reflect on the ongoing challenges and progress in the fight against HIV among young people. In 2024, there were 73 New Yorkers aged 13–19 newly diagnosed with HIV. Of these, 85% were male and 15% were female. Among the 62 young men newly diagnosed, 84% identified as gay or bisexual, underscoring the continued need for targeted outreach and age-appropriate prevention strategies within these communities.

The HIV epidemic continues to fall disproportionately on young people of color in New York State. In 2024, Black youth accounted for 47% of new diagnoses among 13–19 year olds, and Hispanic youth for an additional 42%, together representing more than 89% of all new diagnoses in this age group. Young gay and bisexual men of color sit at the intersection of these disparities, and have long been recognized as a key population in HIV prevention and awareness efforts. Ensuring that culturally responsive prevention, testing, and treatment resources reach these communities remains essential to ending the epidemic.

Despite these challenges, there has been notable progress in treatment outcomes over the past decade. Timely viral suppression achieved within three months of diagnosis rose dramatically from 23% in 2014 to a high of 65% in 2023. However, in 2024 this rate dipped to 56%, a 9 percentage point decline from the prior year. While the long-term trajectory represents a significant achievement in early access to care and treatment, this recent decline serves as an important reminder that progress is not always linear and that continued investment in timely HIV care for young people remains essential.

For additional HIV-related outcome data among persons aged 13–19, visit the ETE Dashboard’s Community Snapshot page and filter by age group.