Changes in the Disparity of HIV Diagnosis Rates Among Black Women — United States, 2010–2014

Abstract

In 2015, black women represented 61% of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnoses among women (1). HIV diagnosis rates among women declined during 2010-2014 (1); however, whether the decline resulted in a decrease in the disparities between black women and Hispanic and white women was unknown. To assess whether a change in disparities occurred, CDC used three different measures of disparity: 1) the absolute rate difference (the difference between the group with the lowest rate and the group with the highest rate) (2); 2) the diagnosis disparity ratio* (the ratio of the difference between the group rate and the overall population rate to the overall rate); and 3) the Index of Disparity (the average of the differences between rates for specific groups and the total rate divided by the total rate, expressed as a percentage) (3). The absolute rate difference between black women and white women decreased annually, from 36.9 in 2010 to 28.3 in 2014. The diagnosis disparity ratio for black women decreased from 1.7 in 2010 to 1.2 in 2014. The Index of Disparity increased during 2010-2011, and then decreased each year during 2012-2014. Although disparities still exist, these findings indicate improvement. Expanding access to biomedical and behavioral interventions and research guided by social and structural determinants frameworks could close the remaining gap.