There were an estimated 4.3 million new HIV infections (incident infections) worldwide as of the end of 2006, about two-thirds of which occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2006) (see table below). About half of those infected were young people ages 15-to-25 (UNAIDS, 2006).
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HIV prevalence and incidence by region (Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, 2006).
As of the end of 2006, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (HIV/AIDS prevalence) was estimated at 39.5 million, close to two-thirds of whom were living in sub-Saharan Africa (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2006) (see table above). Women accounted for 48% of those living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2006).
Over 25 million people have died since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Currently, over 7,500 people die from AIDS each day—about 5 people every minute (UNAIDS, 2006).
Statistics such as these are based on surveillance data. Surveillance is the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and sharing of health data. These data not only show patterns of disease incidence, prevalence, and mortality, but also help predict how much a disease will affect a specific population.
Discussion question: Why is it important for local, national, and international authorities to track and share HIV/AIDS surveillance data?
Global data about HIV/AIDS are collected by many different sources and compiled by a few key international organizations. These include the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). UNAIDS and WHO estimate global HIV/AIDS morbidity and mortality rates using all available data, including surveys of pregnant women and population-based surveys, such as household surveys conducted in Kenya, Mali, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (UNAIDS, n.d.). UNAIDS and WHO also publish updated country estimates biannually.
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