Around the globe, more women than men live with HIV. Does the same apply to Europe? We will take a closer look at trends and risk factors for HIV among women.
This evidence brief summarises key issues and priorities for action in Europe and Central Asia on PrEP. It is largely based on data collected in 2018 and 2019 by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to monitor implementation of the 2004 Dublin Declaration. The monitoring questionnaire was disseminated to the 53 countries that are part of the WHO European Region, plus Kosovo and Liechtenstein via an online survey.
In the EU/EEA, almost every second HIV diagnosis happened at a late stage in 2018. This means diagnosis several years after infection. In 2018, 49 % of those with a CD4 cell count reported at HIV diagnosis were diagnosed late (several years after infection).
Many women in the WHO European Region, particularly those in their 40s, are diagnosed at a late stage of HIV infection when their immune system is already starting to fail. They are three to four times more likely to be diagnosed late than younger women. According to data for 2018 released today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, women accounted for one-third of the 141 000 new HIV diagnoses in the Region, indicating that this population needs more attention in Europe's prevention and testing efforts.