SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco is seeing improvements in reducing HIV diagnoses, according to a report released by the SF Department of Public Health on Monday. One subpopulation is especially seeing “notable changes,” but the city says there’s still more work to be done.
According to the DPH’s 2023 HIV Epidemiology Report, San Francisco reported 133 new HIV diagnoses in 2023, which marks a 20% decrease from 2022. Since 2014, the number of new HIV diagnoses in SF has declined by nearly 60%, while they have only declined by 3% nationwide, the DPH said.
“San Francisco has long been a national leader in HIV research, epidemiology, prevention, testing, and care. We are thrilled to see that HIV diagnoses in our City continue to go down,” said Mayor London Breed.
The DPH says declines in new diagnoses were especially notable for San Francisco’s Latino population. According to the report, there has been a 46% decline in Latino HIV diagnoses in 2023 and a 59% decrease within the last decade.
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“We must continue to make sure that communities across San Francisco have access to high-quality, culturally competent services so that this report is part of a sustained trend that marches us towards a day when there will be no new HIV infections,” said Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax.
San Franciscans are reportedly more aware of their diagnoses, too. In 2023, 97% of people living with HIV in SF were aware of their status, compared to 87% in the United States overall, the report states.
In 2023, San Francisco introduced an at-home testing program, “Take Me Home.” Health officials have reported an increase in at-home testing orders and praise the program as a source of public awareness.
Last year, 95% of individuals diagnosed in San Francisco were linked to care within one month, and 84% of people diagnosed in the first nine months of 2023 were virally suppressed within six months, the SFDPH says.
Despite improvements, health officials say the city’s “challenges remain.” The DPH says they are attempting to scale up efforts in providing access to HIV Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and to ensure resources in HIV care for Latino and Black/African American communities, as well as for people experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs.
“The tools both inside and outside of traditional medical settings are there, and the more we connect with and hear from our communities, the better chance we will have in tackling the challenges in front of us,” said Dr. Susan Philip, Director of Population Health Division, San Francisco Department of Public Health
SFDPH’s Community Equity Health and Promotion Branch coordinated with community partners to open seven Health Access Points. The full report can be accessed here.
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