A disturbing trend in New Hampshire is the high percentage of concurrent HIV/AIDS diagnoses. A concurrent diagnosis is one where a patient is considered to have AIDS within a year of his or her HIV diagnosis. In 2004, 60% of the new HIV cases in New Hampshire were considered to have a concurrent diagnosis ⁽⁹⁾. That number is extraordinarily high, especially when only 28% of patients in New York City had a concurrent diagnosis of AIDS ⁽⁸⁾. People in New Hampshire seem to have a false sense of security when it comes to HIV, and they aren't getting tested until they are already sick. Nationally, it is estimated that 25% of people who are HIV positive don't know, in New Hampshire, that number is 24%-42% ⁽⁹⁾. This is troubling because it is likely that these individuals are continuing to spread HIV without knowing it. Also, the longer a person delays treatment, the less effective the treatment is.  It appears that the two biggest challenges facing New Hampshire’s Department of Public Health are increasing awareness about the need to get tested for HIV and controlling the spread among the black community.

Center Barnstead, NH