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Chapter 3: Prioritized Populations

Populations at risk were prioritized by the CPG in 1996, with an additional population, Youth at Risk, being added during 1997.   This prioritization reflects the impact of the epidemic on each population, as well as that population’s need for HIV prevention interventions.  Because of time constraints and because HIV transmission patterns remain largely unchanged since populations were last prioritized, the CPG decided not to reprioritize during the last twelve-month period.  This update incorporates the previously prioritized populations, which are listed below in order of priority:

1. Males Who Have Sex with Males, inclusive of youth ages 24 and under and including HIV+ males.

2. Women at Risk: females who have sex with males who have sex with males or injecting drug users, inclusive of youth ages 24 and under and HIV+ females.

3. Injecting Drug Users, including HIV+ injecting drug users.

4. People of Color at Risk including: African Americans/Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, refugees and immigrants

5. Youth at Risk: individuals who are age 24 and under who exhibit high risk behavior.

6. Other At-Risk Populations with Special Needs, including:

• Homeless people

• People with mental illness

• People with developmental disabilities

• Incarcerated people

• Deaf people

• People for Whom English is Not the Primary Language

Each of the above populations is described in detail in Chapter 7, “Priority Population Descriptions and Prioritized Interventions.”

During the coming year, the CPG will initiate a process to reprioritize populations.  Although those populations affected by HIV and AIDS have not significantly changed in recent years, the current configuration of Priority Populations contains broad population descriptors which make it difficult to determine and prioritize needs and interventions.  For example, the population described as  “Other Populations with Special Needs,” encompasses what could be considered six discrete populations:  “Homeless People,” “People with Mental Illness,” "People with Developmental Disabilities," “Incarcerated People,” “Deaf People,” and “People for Whom English is Not the Primary Language.”  Although all of these populations have different HIV prevention needs, these needs are diverse and do not necessarily coincide.  Reprioritization will allow the CPG the opportunity to revisit existing population configurations and may result in the use of more specific population descriptors.

This process will be science-based and will involve the use of a standard prioritization tool.  It is anticipated that reprioritization will be completed in Spring, 2000 to coincide with the release of Bureau of Health Requests for Proposals for HIV prevention grants HIHI.

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