Who is most at risk?

HIV can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, age, or where they live.  However, certain groups of people in the United States are more likely to get HIV than others because of certain factors; including the communities in which they live, what subpopulations they belong to, and their risk behaviors.

• Communities. When you live in a community where many people have HIV, the chance of being exposed to HIV by having sex, sharing needles, or other injection equipment with someone who has HIV is higher.
• Subpopulations. In the United States, gay, bisexual, as well as men who have sex with men, are the populations most affected by HIV.
• Risk behaviors. In the United States, HIV is spread mainly through having anal or vaginal sex, by sharing needles or syringes with an HIV-positive partner.