Denver HIV Risk Score Calculator

What Is the Denver HIV Risk Score?

The Denver HIV risk score stratifies HIV acquisition risk using age, sex, race or ethnicity, sexual practices, injection drug use, and prior HIV testing history. It was developed to prioritize HIV screening in emergency and primary care settings where universal testing is not feasible.

Scoring Components

Age contributes up to 12 points, with highest weight for ages 33 to 46. Male sex adds 21 points. Race or ethnicity adds up to 9 points for Black patients and 3 for Hispanic patients. Sexual practice uses the single highest-risk behavior: sex with a male partner (+22), receptive anal intercourse (+8), vaginal intercourse only (-10), or none (0). Injection drug use adds 9 points; a prior HIV test in the past year subtracts 4 points.

Risk Strata

Scores below 20 are very low risk, 20 to 29 low, 30 to 39 moderate, 40 to 49 high, and 50 or above very high. Higher strata support targeted HIV testing and linkage to prevention services such as PrEP when indicated.