The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a new report showing that more work is needed to improve health and quality of life for people with HIV. The data come from the Medical Monitoring Project, an annual survey of adults diagnosed with HIV in the United States. The latest survey, which covered June 2021 through May 2022, included 3,995 participants in 16 states.

More than two thirds of participants (69%) rated their health as good, very good or excellent, as opposed to poor or fair, down from 72% in 2018. Over a quarter (28%) said they had an unmet need for mental health services, up from 24%. The level of perceived HIV stigma remained stable.

Most people (95%) received some HIV care, and 80% were prescribed antiretroviral treatment, but the proportion who remained engaged in care was lower, at 71%. Two thirds had a viral load below 200 on their last test, but just 62% had sustained viral suppression over the past year.

Nearly 90% reported that they used at least one strategy to prevent sexual transmission of HIV, including maintaining an undetectable viral load, using condoms or having sex with partners who were also HIV positive or taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Overall, the survey findings show some improvements over the past half decade, including a drop in food insecurity and unstable housing. But the increased need for mental health services and the lower proportion reporting good health show a need for further progress.