HIV surveillance fact sheet, Georgia, 2019

HIV Surveillance Fact Sheet Georgia, 2019

There were 2,504 persons in Georgia diagnosed with HIV in 2019, for a rate of 28.4 per 100,000 population age 13 and older.
There were 1,091 diagnoses of stage 3 (AIDS) in Georgia during 2019. These are persons diagnosed with AIDS at initial diagnosis and persons who were previously diagnosed with HIV who were then diagnosed with AIDS in 2019.
79% (1,976) of those diagnosed with HIV infection during 2019 were male, 19% (484) female, 2% (44) transgender.

In 2019, 20% of persons diagnosed with HIV statewide were diagnosed with AIDS within 12 months, which is considered a late HIV diagnosis. Late testing results in missed opportunities for prevention and treatment of HIV infection and emphasizes the need for earlier testing, linkage, and retention in care for persons living with HIV infection.
Since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy in the mid-1990's, deaths due to HIV have declined substantially. There were 760 deaths among persons with HIV in Georgia during 2019. Approximately half of those deaths were HIV-related, and the other half were not.

Figure 1: HIV Diagnoses by Gender and Year, 2011-2019, Georgia

2500 2141 1956 1974 2189 2093 2071 1994 1976 2000

1500

1000 500 0

615 474 472 505 521 590 527 484 33 42 40 39 35 44 50 44

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Male

Female

Transgender

Figure 2: Diagnoses by Transmission Category and Sex, Georgia 2019

2000 1645
1500

1000 500 0
MSM

48 34 52

435 206

Male Female

IDU MSM-IDU Heterosexual Contact

Among males, 1,645 HIV diagnoses (83%) were attributed to male to male (MSM) sexual contact (Figure 2).
Among females, 502 HIV diagnoses (90%) were attributed to heterosexual contact (Figure 2)
The highest number of HIV diagnoses among males occurred among those 20-29 years of age, while diagnoses among women were more equally distributed across age groups (Figure 3a and b).
Among transgender persons, all cases were attributed to sexual contact.
1,785 new diagnoses of HIV infection (71%) were among Blacks (Figure 4), and the rate of diagnosis was highest among Blacks (Table 1).
43 infants were born with perinatal HIV infection between 2010 and 2019 (Figure 5); of these 23 were born in the Atlanta MSA, and 20 outside of Atlanta

Table 1: HIV diagnosis rate per 100,000 population, 13 years and older, by race/ethnicity, Georgia, 2019

Black Hispanic White Asian American Indian

Male 109.7 49.9 13.0 8.6 9.8

Female 24.3 6.8 2.8 3.0 0

Figure 3a: HIV Diagnoses by Age, Males, Georgia, 2019

1000

870

800

600

502

400 200 136

213 181 70

0 13-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+

Figure 3b: Diagnoses by Age, Number Females, Georgia 2019
400

300

200

120 139 94

100

16

73

39

0 13-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+

Figure 4: HIV Diagnoses by Race/Ethnicity, Georgia, 2019

0% 1%

2% 2%

9%

15%

71%

Black
White
Hispanic
Asian
American Indian Multiple

Figure 5: Perinatal HIV infections, by year of birth and by place of maternal residence, Georgia, 2010-2019
10 8 6 4 2 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Atlanta MSA Outside of Atlanta

Unknown

Persons living with HIV (PLWH)
The number of persons living with HIV in Georgia has steadily increased as a result of effective treatment (Figure 6).
As of December 31, 2019, there were 58,594 persons living with HIV. Of these 44,092 (75%) were male, 13,875 (24%) female and 627 (1%) transgender. Forty three percent were 50 years and older. Fifty one percent (29,726) had ever met criteria for stage 3 disease, or AIDS.
Among the 18 Public Health Districts in Georgia, Fulton and DeKalb had the highest numbers and rates of persons diagnosed with, and living with HIV infection (Table 2 and Figures 8 a and b).
70% (41,115) of persons living with HIV infection in 2019 resided in the Atlanta, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

Figure 6: Persons living with HIV by Year, Georgia 2012-2019

70000 60000 50000 40000 30000 20000 10000
0

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Figure 7: PLWH by Age Group, Georgia 2019

1% 15%

12%

Age group 13-19

27%

22%

20-29 30-39

40-49

23%

50-59 60+

Figure 8a: HIV Diagnosis Rate by District, 2019

Table 2: Number and rate of HIV Diagnoses in 2019,

and People living with HIV infection, Georgia, through

December 31, 2019

HIV Diagnoses

PLWH

Public Health District

Count Rate* Count Rate*

1-1 Northwest (Rome)

48 7.0

1,162 170.0

1-2 North Georgia (Dalton)

21 4.3

684 138.6

2 North (Gainesville)

49 6.7

907 123.7

3-1 Cobb-Douglas

214 23.6

4,088 451.0

3-2 Fulton

557 52.4 16,120 1,515.1

3-3 Clayton (Jonesboro)

140 47.9

2,929 1,002.2

3-4 East Metro (Lawrenceville) 253 22.2

4,368 383.5

3-5 DeKalb

358 47.1

9,902 1,304.1

4 LaGrange

118 13.5

2,398 273.6

5-1 South Central (Dublin)

17 11.3

636 423.4

5-2 North Central (Macon)

119 22.3

2,305 431.3

6 East Central (Augusta)

112 22.8

2,244 457.0

7 West Central (Columbus)

69 18.7

1,892 512.6

8-1 South (Valdosta)

81 31.3

1,214 469.3

8-2 Southwest (Albany)

94 27.4

1,769 515.9

9-1 Coastal (Savannah)

132 21.0

2,745 436.6

9-2 Southeast (Waycross)

60 16.1

1235 330.6

10 Northeast (Athens)

51 9.8

1,085 208.1

Unknown Health District

12

1,034

Total

2,504

58,594

*per 100,000 population

4.3 7.0
13.5

6.7 9.8

Cobb-Douglas 23.6 Fulton 52.4 DeKalb 47.1 East Metro 22.2 Clayton 47.9

22.3

22.8

18.7 27.4

11.3 21.0
31.3 16.1
31.3

Figure 8b: HIV Prevalence Rate by District, 2019

138.6

170.401.7

123.7 3

Cobb-Douglas 451.1 Fulton 1,515.1

DeKalb 1,304.1

208.1

East Metro 383.5

Clayton 1,002.2

273.6 0

431.3 .0

457.0

512.6 .6

423.4 4.3

436.6

3.8

515.9

330.6

.7

469.3 .1

5.8

Technical Notes
The number of persons living with HIV infection is based on current residence in the state of Georgia regardless of state of diagnosis. The number of cases with new diagnosis of HIV infection is based on residence at diagnosis in the state of Georgia.
Rates measure the overall frequency which has not been adjusted for factors (e.g. age, sex, race/ethnicity that might have influenced the rate.
Population denominators used to compute the rates for Public Health Districts and state of Georgia were based on the 2019 population estimates from Georgia DPH, Office of Health Indicators and Planning.
Data reflect cases entered into the enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting Surveillance (eHARS) database as of December 31, 2019.
Data are not adjusted for reporting delays and include incarcerated cases that may artificially inflate the number of cases in a given location.
Cases with missing information in fields such as date of birth, race/ethnicity and gender are included in the analysis.
Multiple imputation, a statistical approach, was used to replace each missing transmission category with a set of plausible values that represent uncertainty about the true but missing value.

HIV/AIDS Surveillance
Georgia DPH began collecting name-based data on AIDS cases in the early 1980s. Name based reporting of HIV (not AIDS) to DPH was mandated by Georgia law beginning on December 31, 2003. Complete and timely reporting of HIV infections by clinical providers and laboratories is critical for monitoring the epidemic and ensuring adequate funding for prevention and care services in Georgia. Incomplete reporting leads to underestimation of the impact of HIV in Georgia and limits funding for services among HIV populations.
HIV Reporting
All health care providers diagnosing and/or providing care to a patient with HIV are obligated by Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 31-12-1) to report HIV infection using the HIV/AIDS Case Report Form. Case report forms should be completed within seven (7) days of diagnosing a patient with HIV and/or AIDS or within seven (7) days of assuming care of an HIV positive patient who is new to the provider, regardless of whether the patient has previously received care elsewhere

The HIV Surveillance Fact Sheet is published by the Core Surveillance Unit, HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Section, Epidemiology Program, Division of Health Protection, Georgia Department of Public Health. It is not copyrighted and may be used and reproduced without permission. Citation of the source is appreciated.