AIDS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics announced that the rate of AIDS deaths in the U.S. decreased by 47 percent in 1997. AIDS fell from the first leading cause of death to fifth among adults ages 24-44. The dramatic decrease in AIDS deaths has been attributed to potent new anti-HIV drugs and government programs that provide access to them. However, this decline has not been uniform across different subpopulations, and the overall incidence of new HIV infections seems to be constant. This finding is an indication that the number of people living with HIV is growing.