On National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, we reflect on the ongoing challenges and progress in the fight against HIV among young people. In 2023, 87% of the 71 New Yorkers aged 13-19 who were newly diagnosed with HIV were among young men. Of these young men, 85% identified as gay or bisexual, underlining the continued need for targeted outreach and prevention strategies within these communities.

Racial and ethnic disparities also remain a critical issue in the HIV epidemic. Black and Hispanic youth represent over 85% of new HIV diagnoses, with 45% of diagnoses among Black youth and 41% among Hispanic youth. This highlights the need for continued focus on these groups, ensuring that prevention, testing, and treatment efforts reach these communities effectively.

Despite these challenges, there has been notable progress in treatment outcomes. Timely viral suppression—achieved within three months of diagnosis—has steadily improved since 2014. In 2023, 65% of young New Yorkers newly diagnosed with HIV achieved viral suppression within three months of their diagnosis, a significant improvement from just 23% in 2014. This demonstrates the success of increased access to immediate care and treatment, as well as the effectiveness of early intervention strategies.

For additional HIV-related outcome data among persons aged 13-19, visit the ETE Dashboard’s Community Snapshot page and filter by age group. By tracking and sharing this information, we aim to empower communities, health professionals, and policymakers with usable data to inform program and policy work that will ultimately improve the health outcomes for young people affected by HIV in New York State.