HIV diagnosis rate fell by third in US over decade

[DonViejo]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

MIKE STOBBE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK (AP) — The rate of HIV infections diagnosed in the United States each year fell by one-third over the past decade, a government study finds. Experts celebrated it as hopeful news that the AIDS epidemic may be slowing in the U.S.

“It’s encouraging,” said Patrick Sullivan, an Emory University AIDS researcher who was not involved in the study.

The reasons for the drop aren’t clear. It might mean fewer new infections are occurring. Or that most infected people already have been diagnosed so more testing won’t necessarily find many more cases.

“It could be we are approaching something of a ‘ceiling effect,’” said one study leader, David Holtgrave of Johns Hopkins University.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2014/07/19/hiv_diagnosis_rate_fell_by_third_in_us_over_decade_2/

[closeupready]

1. Encouraging, though if more had had access to health care, would have been better

even than 1/3rd, since the drugs needed to suppress the virus are expensive, and further, you need to see a doctor regularly to monitor your blood.

Now with Obamacare, I suspect the new diagnosis rate will fall even further. K&R

[Yo_Mama]

2. But incidence rates among young males are rising.

Now we get to the frustrating part. We should have enough tools to stop this, but the later years of data are very disturbing, and all the causation isn't known.

Maybe Truvada will make a difference. Maybe.

[IronLionZion]

3. Hopefully this is due to better education and prevention

and not because of fewer screenings. All of which are important