New findings from the CDC’s Medical Monitoring Project, an annual national survey of people diagnosed with HIV, show that needs are not being adequately met. Physical and mental health, subsistence needs and stigma can all affect quality of life for people living with HIV. Older people, in particular, are more prone to comorbidities as they age, and their needs may change as they transition to Medicare.

 

Looking at all HIV-positive people surveyed, 72% reported that their health was good or better in 2018, falling slightly to 70% in 2022. In a separate analysis of those ages 50 and older, the rate dropped to 65% in 2022. The 2022 survey also found that 27% of people with HIV overall and 22% of those 50 and older had an unmet need for mental health services; 18% and 13%, respectively, were unstably housed or homeless; 11% and 8% were unemployed; and 19% and 14% experienced hunger or food insecurity.

 

Overall, these five quality-of-life indicators did not change much from 2017 to 2022, and none of them came close to reaching the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy goals for improvement by 2025. For example, the 2025 goal for good or better self-rated health is 95%.

 

“Improving quality of life and addressing social determinants of health requires a multisectoral approach that moves beyond clinical care,” Linda Beer, PhD, of the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, and colleagues wrote.