2018 Epidemiologic Profile

The 2018 edition of the Integrated Epidemiologic Profile for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Planning for the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area (or "epi profile" for short) has arrived. This document contains data about the general population and people living with and at risk for HIV.

Click the link below to download your copy, or read on for more information about the epi profile.

Appendices

About the Epi Profile

The complete epidemiologic profile spans nearly 300 pages. As defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA) includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties in New Jersey. The epidemiologic profile describes the general population of the EMA, risk indicators, characteristics of the local HIV epidemic, unmet need, and service utilization. In developing this profile, we evaluated, analyzed, and compiled data from multiple sources in accordance with the 2014 Integrated Guidelines for Developing Epidemiologic Profiles. Our profile addresses three core questions:

1. What are the sociodemographic characteristics of the population of the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area?

2. What are the indicators of risk for HIV infection in the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area?

3. What is the scope of HIV in the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area?

We have also answered the following questions:

4. How do people in the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area access HIV/AIDS services, and what is their impact?

5. What are the characteristics of people who know they are HIV-positive, but are not accessing services in the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area?

The profile has been divided into five sections. Each section addresses one of the questions above.


Integrated Epidemiologic Profile Background

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) updated their Integrated Guidelines for Developing Epidemiologic Profiles in 2014. As with the previous guidelines, these were created to meet the needs of both care and prevention. Like previous years, we have used these guidelines as a foundation, and expanded upon them whenever possible.

We have designed this document for use by HIV planning groups, grantees, state and local health departments, applicants for funding, community-based organizations, and people who access services. It serves as a source document for service planning and application development, as well as the identification of epidemiological trends.


Data Sources

We have compiled multiple data sources to produce this epidemiologic profile. Consequently, time frames, categories, and general availability varied. We have provided the most current data whenever possible. It is important to consider that each data source has its own strengths and limitations; we have tried to be clear about these limitations throughout the profile. Further information about methodology and considerations can be found through the original sources. For more information on these sources, please see the appendices.


How to Use the Epidemiologic Profile

The first two sections of this profile describe the general population of the nine-county Philadelphia area, while the last three sections focus on data related to HIV/AIDS in the area. Generally speaking, we begin with a broad overview of the area, and narrow in focus as we move through the profile. Due to the volume of information we have included, we highly recommend using the table of contents to identify the parts of the profile that will be most useful or interesting to you.

Wherever possible, we have presented the data within this document so that it is comparable across sections. Geographic level of detail varies; some sources provide data at the zip code level, while other sources provide district-level, county-level, state-level, or metropolitan area-level detail. Other categories may vary by source as well. It is important to consider this when interpreting and comparing the data within the profile.


From the archives: the 2015 Epidemiologic Profile

This 401-page document contains general population data about Philadelphia and eight surrounding counties (the Philadelphia Eligible Metropolitan Area, or EMA) as of 2015. It includes risk data, demographic information, HIV/AIDS statistics, unmet needs, and service utilization. A 12-page executive summary is also available.


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