Older Adults Account for 1 in 6 Newly Diagnosed HIV Cases in 2022

Strategic Insights -

Recent research results have been published highlighting the impact of HIV/AIDS on older adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) HIV programs, older adults, defined as individuals aged 50 and over, accounted for 1 in 6 persons newly diagnosed with HIV in 2022. The study aimed to present the most current data on older adults reached by the CDC's HIV programs, including HIV testing, preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) referrals, and linkage to HIV medical care. The research found that the percentage of CDC-funded HIV tests provided to older adults increased between 2019 and 2022, with 18.4% of tests in 2022. In 2022, older adults accounted for 11% of new diagnoses, and among those, 74.1% were linked to HIV medical care within 30 days after diagnosis.

Key Takeaways:

  • Older adults, aged 50 and over, accounted for 1 in 6 persons newly diagnosed with HIV in 2022.
  • The percentage of CDC-funded HIV tests provided to older adults increased from 16.9% in 2019 to 18.4% in 2022.
  • In 2022, older adults accounted for 11% of new diagnoses, with 876 individuals diagnosed.
  • Among those diagnosed, 74.1% were linked to HIV medical care within 30 days after diagnosis.
  • 90,422 older adults with a negative test result were eligible for a PrEP referral, and 39,382 (44.3%) were referred to a PrEP provider.
  • Continued efforts are needed to provide focused HIV prevention messaging specifically for older adults and make available relevant information about HIV to healthcare providers.
  • The CDC funded 61 health departments and 160 community-based organizations to provide HIV testing, PrEP referrals, and linkage to HIV medical care between 2019 and 2022.
  • The research involved descriptive analysis and multivariable robust Poisson regression analysis to assess the association between demographic characteristics and outcomes of HIV tests among older adults.

Statistics:

  • 1 in 6 persons newly diagnosed with HIV in 2022 were older adults (aged 50 and over).
  • 18.4% of CDC-funded HIV tests were provided to older adults in 2022.
  • 11% of new HIV diagnoses in 2022 were among older adults.
  • 74.1% of older adults diagnosed with HIV in 2022 were linked to HIV medical care within 30 days after diagnosis.
  • 90,422 older adults with a negative test result were eligible for a PrEP referral.
  • 39,382 (44.3%) of older adults with a negative test result were referred to a PrEP provider.

Sources:

  • Adults Aged 50 Years Reached by the CDC's HIV Programs Including HIV Testing, PrEP Referrals, and Linkage to Care in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, 2019-2022. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2025;100(3):209-216.
  • NewsRx. Findings from Weston Williams and Co-Authors Broaden Understanding of HIV/AIDS (Adults Aged 50 Years Reached by the CDC's HIV Programs Including HIV Testing, PrEP Referrals, and Linkage to Care in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the US ...). AIDS Weekly. October 27, 2025; p 36.