National HIV Testing Week (NHTW) in Redbridge
HPE is a nationally-funded programme, funded by Public Health England, designed to complement locally commissioned prevention in areas of higher prevalence including Redbridge.
This event aims to reduce the numbers of undiagnosed people and those diagnosed late. It is held every November ahead of World AIDS Day. This year NHTW starts on Saturday 16 November 2019.
While new HIV diagnoses have fallen for a third consecutive year, the latest data from Public Health England (PHE) reports 43% of all diagnoses were late.
HPE has once again repeated its warning that people diagnosed late face a ten-fold increased risk of short-term mortality. Population groups with particularly high late diagnoses rates include:
- Heterosexual men (60%)
- Black African adults (52%)
- Those aged 50 and older (59%)
People diagnosed late are more likely to experience an AIDS-defining illness at the time of their diagnosis: this was true of 225 people in 2018, a similar number to 2017.
