In 2010, an estimated 29,200 African born individuals aged 15 – 59 years were living with HIV in the UK. This includes 24,397 individuals living with diagnosed HIV and a further 22% estimated to be undiagnosed.

How many black Africans have been diagnosed and are accessing HIV specialist care?

In 2010 there were 24,397 black African people in the UK living with a diagnosed HIV infection. 

How has this been changing over time?

The number of black Africans living with a diagnosed HIV infection has increased from 6,730 in 2001 to 24,397 in 2010.  This is nearly a four-fold increase.

What about different groups of people?

Whilst about two-thirds of people living with a diagnosed HIV infection in the UK are male, about two-thirds of black Africans living with a diagnosed HIV infection are female.

Gender	% of total black Africans accessing HIV care in the UK in 2010
Men	34%
Women	66%
	100%

*Please note that all percentages are rounded so some may not add up to 100%

These percentages were calculated using data sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID accessible at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/Page/1201094588844.  

The vast majority of black Africans were infected through heterosexual sex.  Only a very small proportion (1.6%) of black Africans living with HIV reported to be men who have sex with men, compared with 44% of people living with HIV in the UK overall.

Exposure Category	% of total accessing HIV specialist care in the UK in 2010
Sex between men & women	93%
Sex between men	2%
Injecting Drug Use	0.1%
Mother-to-child transmission	5%
Blood/blood products recipient	0.4%
Other/Unknown	2%
	100%

*Please note that all percentages are rounded so some may not add up to 100%

These percentages were calculated using data sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID accessible at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/Page/1201094588844.  

What about black Africans of different ages?

The overall age profile of black Africans living with HIV is slightly younger than the averages for all people living with HIV. 

Age	% of total black Africans accessing HIV care in the UK in 2009
Under 15	3%
15-24	4%
25-34	21%
35-44	44%
45-54	22%
55 and over	5%
	100%

*Please note that all percentages are rounded so some may not add up to 100%

These percentages were calculated using data sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID accessible at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/Page/1201094588844.  

What about people in the different nations of the UK?

The vast majority of black Africans with HIV in the UK live in England.

Nation	% of total black Africans accessing HIV care in the UK in 2009
England	95%
Scotland	3%
Wales	1%
Northern Ireland	0.3%
Other/Unknown	0.5%
	100%

*Please note that all percentages are rounded so some may not add up to 100%

These percentages were calculated using data sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID accessible at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/Page/1201094588844.  

What about people in the different regions within England?

Just over two fifths of all black Africans living with HIV in England live in London. In the East Midlands, East of England, South Central and Yorkshire & the Humber regions the majority of the people living with HIV are black African.

Region	% of total black Africans living with HIV in the UK in 2009
London	44%
East of England	10%
West Midlands	8%
North West	8%
Yorkshire & the Humber	7%
South Central	7%
East Midlands	7%
South East Coast	5%
South West	3%
North East	2%
Total England	95%

*Please note that all percentages are rounded so some may not add up to 100%

These percentages were calculated using data sourced from the Health Protection Agency’s SOPHID accessible at http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/Page/1201094588844.  

23,244 HIV positive black Africans live and access care in England, 689 in Scotland, 268 in Wales and 84 in Northern Ireland. In London there are over 9,800 HIV positive black Africans.

How many black Africans living with HIV are undiagnosed?

About 22% of black Africans living with HIV are unaware of their infection. This is comparable with the number of people living with HIV generally (26%). However, black African men are less likely to be aware of their infection than black African women.

% of total   living with HIV in the UK who were born in Africa in 2010
	men	women
Diagnosed	74%	80%
Undiagnosed	26%	20%
	100%	100%

This information is based on the Health Protection Agency’s estimates of the number of adults aged 15-59 living with HIV in the UK in 2009, found in their HIV in the United Kingdom: 2011 Report.

How many black Africans living in the UK are diagnosed with HIV each year?

During 2010, 2,050 black Africans were newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK. This accounted for over 33% of new diagnoses.

How has this been changing over time?

The number of black Africans newly diagnosed with HIV each year increased sharply between 1999 and 2004 peaking at 4,006 and has since been falling with 2,050 being diagnosed in 2010.  The decline is thought to be due to changing migration patterns.    

This chart shows how the number of new diagnoses amongst black Africans has changed over the last decade.  The data reflects diagnoses made reported to the Health Protection Agency by 15 July 2011, sourced from their HIV New Diagnoses Surveillance Tables: Table 10.

Of those black Africans newly diagnosed in 2010 where the location of infection was known, 18% (303) contracted HIV in the UK and 82% (1,385) were infected abroad.  This is a substantial increase in the proportion of infections acquired in the UK from 8% in 1999.  These calculations were based on information sourced from the HPA’s New HIV Diagnoses Prevention group tables: Table 6 (05/08/2011).