Today, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is recognizing National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This is a day to raise awareness about the impact of HIV on youth and young adults and highlight ongoing efforts to provide care, treatment, and support services for youth with HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that youth and young adults aged 13 to 24 accounted for 21 percent of nearly 37,000 new HIV diagnoses in the United States in 2019. This highlights the importance of providing care and support for this population.
In the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP), significant progress has been made in supporting youth and young adults with HIV. In 2021, the RWHAP provided services to nearly 19,300 youth with HIV aged 13-24. Of these individuals, 82.7 percent receiving RWHAP HIV medical care were virally suppressed, which is a significant increase from 46.6 percent in 2010. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of those involved in the RWHAP.
However, work still remains to reach the national RWHAP average of 89.7 percent. Engaging and retaining youth and young adults with HIV to care and treatment is crucial to ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. The RWHAP Part F Special Project of National Significance (SPNS) Program E2i Initiative provides a youth-focused intervention called Text Messaging Intervention to Improve Antiretroviral Adherence among HIV-Positive Youth (TXTXT) E2i, which sends personalized, daily, interactive text messages to youth with HIV aged 13 to 24 years to remind them to take their medication as prescribed. In addition, innovative social media methods to link youth and young adults in HIV primary care and support services have been developed through the use of Social Media to Improve Engagement, Retention, and Health Outcomes along the HIV Care Continuum.
There are also several evidence-informed resources and interventions available to support youth and young adults with HIV through the RWHAP HIV Care Innovations: Replication Resources, such as Building Futures: Supporting Youth Living with HIV. These resources include implementation tools for healthcare professionals.
It is important to continue the efforts to provide care, treatment, and support services for youth with HIV. The RWHAP is dedicated to supporting this population and has made significant progress, but more work remains to be done. The available resources and interventions will continue to improve outcomes for youth and young adults with HIV, and we encourage everyone to share and utilize these resources. Thank you to everyone involved in the RWHAP for your commitment and dedication to providing services to more than half a million people across the U.S., including youth and young adults.
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