East Bay HIV data

East Bay HIV data, epidemiology and disparities can be found on these websites:

Most recent data, updated February 2023

Data from HIV ACCESS clinics (Ryan White Part C funded clinics in Alameda County) show that HIV screening and viral load testing rates partially recovered in 2022 after a significant decline during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, though lab access remains a challenge. Linkage to care for newly diagnosed people, retention in care and HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART) rates remained high and even increased at Highland Hospital, thanks to the awesome dedication and hard work of our frontline staff during the pandemic, and as community members adapted to phone and video visits as well as 3-month refills and mail-order medications.

Disparities analyses conducted in 2021 show that there continue to be significant disproportionate impact among Black/African American, Latinx and young adult residents, especially among people who inject drugs and are experiencing homelessness. Increasing disparity gaps were seen in new diagnoses among Latinx people and young people of color, as well as in retention and viral load suppression for Black/African American residents, men who have sex with men who inject drugs, young adults and uninsured residents (2020 compared to 2019). Additional details on East Bay data for key communities and disparities can be found on this EBGTZ key communities references document, updated in February 2023.

Over 10 years of strengthening linkages in the East Bay

Since 2021 the East Bay linkage and retention working group has developed a warm hand-off process, single points of contact for linkages, and rapid, same-day access to HIV medications (antiretroviral treatment, or ART) and to PrEP. As a result, we improved our 90-day linkage rates from 2012 to 2017:

70% to 79% in Alameda County
82% to 92% in Contra Costa County

During that same time, we improved our county-wide viral load suppression rates, which is a marker for how well people living with HIV are doing on treatment and achieving U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable):

40% to 72% in Alameda County
65% to 75% in Contra Costa County

Starting in 2018, we started tracking 30-day linkages rather than 90-day linkages as well as rates of same-day access to HIV antiretroviral treatment, also known as “Rapid ART.” Rapid ART rates were 93% among HIV ACCESS clinics in 2022.

While county-wide 30-day linkage and viral load suppression rates decreased during 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, HIV ACCESS data from 2021 and 2022 show recovery in access to testing and care. Hopefully this reflects overall recovery in the East Bay to access to HIV testing, prevention and treatment services.