Tuesday, May 19, marks National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (#APIMay19) 2026. Observed during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, APIMay19 encourages HIV education and testing among Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
APIMay19 is also an opportunity to highlight the unique challenges related to these communities and to honor those living with HIV and working to raise awareness. In past years, the days has also been marketed as #NAPIHAAD.
AIDSVu.org, an interactive site that maps and visualizes HIV data nationwide, offers more details about HIV among Asian and Pacific Islander people:
In 2023, approximately 2.2% of all new HIV diagnoses were among the Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities.
HIV prevalence among Asian people is concentrated in certain regions of the U.S. In 2023, HIV prevalence among Asian people was the highest in the Western regions of the U.S. Trends across Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities also reveal important disparities: Between 2019 and 2023, HIV diagnoses among Asian Americans rose by 15%. Among Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders (NHPI) people, diagnoses increased from 2019 to 2022 before declining in 2023. In 2023, only 27% of Asian people in the U.S. had ever been tested for HIV, well below the national average of 37%. In 2023, 70% of Asian people diagnosed with HIV achieved viral suppression, compared to 62% of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander people.
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There are many barriers that lead to negative HIV-related outcomes for Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Americans. According to the 2023 American Community Survey (5-Year Estimates), 9.9% of Asians and 17.2% of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders live below the federal poverty level, and 5.9% of Asians and 11.6% of Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders don’t have health coverage. These social determinants of health can make it more difficult to access HIV prevention, testing, and care resources. Â
May 19 is National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day We honor the resilience of API communities and recognize the ongoing impact of HIV, stigma, and health disparities. #APIMay19 #StopHIVTogether #AAPIHeritageMonth #SAAFStrong
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— San Antonio AIDS Foundation (@saafhouse.bsky.social) May 19, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Click here to learn more about 2026 HIV and AIDS awareness days and for a printable poster.
