Q&A
Increase in HIV/AIDS cases and potential reasons
0:45:54
ยท
81 sec
Council Member Schulman asks about the reasons for the increase in HIV/AIDS cases. Sarah Braunstein from DOHMH responds:
- There was a 7.6% increase in new HIV diagnoses between 2022 and 2023
- The increase is likely due to people returning to engage in medical care and sexual health care post-COVID
- Many people may have avoided health care during the height of the COVID-19 public health emergency
- Surveillance data is powerful but doesn't always explain the 'why' behind trends
Lynn C. Schulman
0:45:54
know it.
0:45:55
Because my understanding of when I was doing some work with them, they go door to door, which is great.
0:46:00
So, you know, which is very helpful.
0:46:02
Okay.
0:46:03
I'm gonna ask now some DOHMH questions.
0:46:09
So, one question that I had.
0:46:12
So, one of my colleagues at, council member Narcisse asked me, and I have the same question, What is attributable to the increase in HIV AIDS cases?
0:46:24
If you can respond to that.
Sarah Braunstein
0:46:26
Sure.
0:46:27
Thank you for that question, council member.
0:46:30
So we did yes.
0:46:31
As as noted earlier in in your comments, we did note a a seven point six percent increase in the number of new diagnoses we saw in the city between 2022 and 2023.
0:46:42
We do you know, surveillance data are incredibly powerful, but don't tell us lots of the why.
0:46:48
But, you know, our our speculation and what we've observed in other recent years, is that there's likely a contribution to the to this increase of people returning to engage in medical care and sexual health care, specifically HIV testing, you know, either because of an absence from from health care, during and and post, the the height of the COVID nineteen public health emergency, and then returning to sexual health care since.
0:47:14
Right.
0:47:14
No.
0:47:14
I appreciate that.
0:47:15
And not
Lynn C. Schulman
0:47:15
not necessarily a question for you here because I have another hearing next week about public health emergencies, which will include HIV and AIDS.