In the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, HIV was a major killer of homeless adults in Boston, accounting for about 18 percent of deaths among more than 17,000 people treated by Boston Health Care for the Homeless over five years. With greater awareness about HIV infection and outreach programs to those at risk, the death rate from the disease has declined.

In a new study of 28,033 adults treated by the organization between 2003 and 2008, there were 1,302 deaths and HIV accounted for less than 6 percent, according to a study. That’s the good news.