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About the EHE Indicators: Diagnoses
There are six EHE indicators: HIV incidence, knowledge of HIV status, diagnoses, linkage to HIV medical care, HIV viral suppression, and PrEP coverage.
Each indicator was chosen with specific public health goals in mind and in line with the four key strategies of the initiative: diagnose, prevent, treat and respond. Incidence measures our overarching goal of reducing new infections by 90% by 2030. Diagnoses, and Knowledge of Status are all key to identifying which individuals need to be linked to care, and represent important steps on the HIV Care Continuum. Data have shown that upon diagnosis, immediate linkage to care and treatment results in improved HIV outcomes, so it is important to track how these indicators change over time. Viral Suppression and PrEP use will have the greatest impact on reducing new transmissions if they are scaled up.
Explore HIV indicator data on the AHEAD dashboard.
What Is the HIV Diagnoses Indicator?
The HIV diagnoses indicator is a count of the number of people who received an HIV diagnosis—confirmed by laboratory or clinical evidence—during a given period, regardless of when they got HIV. Some people may get and live with HIV for years before they receive a diagnosis, while others receive a diagnosis soon after getting HIV. The HIV diagnoses included in this indicator have been confirmed by laboratory or clinical evidence.
The EHE diagnoses goal is to decrease the yearly number of new HIV diagnoses by 90% from a 2017 baseline of 38,351.
It is important to understand that as communities work to expand the availability of HIV testing to reduce the number of undiagnosed HIV infections and increase knowledge of status, it is likely that the number of diagnoses will initially increase. This would signal progress, particularly if incidence estimates are declining.
Uses of Diagnoses Data
Monitoring the number and rate of HIV diagnoses helps communities, states, and the federal government understand trends in the burden of disease, or the overall impact HIV has on the population. For example, these data can help identify areas and populations with the greatest need for HIV care and treatment services as well as enhanced HIV prevention services. Diagnoses data can provide detailed information about where infections are occurring and how different groups of people are affected (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity, transmission risk) so that programs, services, and policies can be better tailored and resources can be allocated accordingly.
How Is the Diagnoses Indicator Calculated?
CDC adds up the number of HIV diagnoses among people aged 13 years and older reported by health departments through the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS).
About HIV Diagnoses Data
The baseline value of the HIV diagnoses indicator was calculated by using NHSS data from January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017, and reported to CDC through December 31, 2019.
Data presented by quarter: Presentation of diagnoses data for a quarter includes cumulative counts of HIV diagnoses through the specified quarter of the calendar year. Data presented by quarter are preliminary.
The reduction in HIV diagnoses in 2020 is likely due to disruptions in clinical care services, patient hesitancy in accessing clinical services, and shortages in HIV testing reagents/materials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inclusion of 2020 data in trend assessments is discouraged.
Data for the years 2024 and 2025 are considered preliminary and based on data reported to CDC's NHSS as of June 2025. Diagnoses data are preliminary through June 2025.
Data reported to the NHSS are considered preliminary until a 12-month reporting delay has been reached.
Data Sources
Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) seeks to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by 75 percent by 2025, and then by at least 90 percent by 2030, for an estimated 250,000 total HIV infections averted. AHEAD is paid for by EHE.
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America's HIV Epidemic Analysis Dashboard (AHEAD) - Paid for by Ending the HIV Epidemic.