About the Denver HIV Risk Score
The Denver HIV Risk Score is a point-based clinical prediction rule developed and validated by Haukoos and colleagues at Denver Public Health to help clinicians decide which patients should be offered an HIV test. Rather than measuring viral load or antibodies, it estimates the probability of undiagnosed HIV infection from six variables already associated with HIV prevalence in the derivation and validation studies: age, sex assigned at birth, race/ethnicity, a history of male-male sexual contact, a history of heterosexual contact, and a history of injection drug use. Each variable contributes a fixed number of points, and the points are summed to a score between 0 and 30.
How the score is calculated
Points are assigned as follows and then added together: age — under 22 (0 pts), 22-25 (3 pts), 26-32 (5 pts), 33-43 (4 pts), 44-48 (2 pts), 49 or older (0 pts); sex assigned at birth — male (4 pts), female (0 pts); race/ethnicity — Black non-Hispanic (4 pts), Hispanic (1 pt), White non-Hispanic or other (0 pts); male-male sexual contact, ever (8 pts); heterosexual contact, ever (2 pts); and injection drug use, ever (5 pts). In the original validation cohort, a total score of 20 or higher identified a subgroup with an estimated HIV prevalence above 1%, which is the threshold the CDC has cited for cost-effective, routine opt-out HIV testing in clinical settings.
What the score does and does not tell you
The score is a screening aid, not a diagnostic test — it estimates the likelihood that testing would be worthwhile for someone with a similar risk profile to the study population; it cannot confirm or rule out HIV infection for any individual. A low score does not guarantee an HIV-negative status, and a high score does not mean a person is infected. The only way to know an HIV status is an HIV test. Because the tool relies on demographic categories from the original research, results should be read as population-level guidance, not a personal medical judgment.
When to consult a professional
Anyone who is sexually active, has shared injection equipment, or is simply unsure of their HIV status should talk to a clinician about testing regardless of the score produced here — the CDC recommends at least one HIV test for all adults and adolescents as a routine part of health care. If your score is 20 or above, or if you have any risk factors that concern you, ask a healthcare provider, community health center, or health department about confidential or anonymous testing options.