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HIV prevalence in heterosexuals at risk of infection was associated with low socioeconomic status (SES), CDC study authors reported Friday.
CDC’s National HIV Behavior Surveillance System surveyed heterosexuals ages 18-50 at risk of HIV from 24 metropolitan statistical areas with high AIDS prevalence in 2006-07. Of the 14,837 eligible people included in this analysis, 31 percent reported less than high school education; 36 percent were unemployed; and 73 percent had annual household incomes below the poverty level. In total, 2 percent of participants were HIV-infected.
By race/ethnicity, prevalence was highest among blacks (2.1 percent), followed by Hispanics (1.8 percent), persons of other races (1.4 percent), and whites (1.1 percent). Only the difference between blacks and whites was statistically significant; after controlling for other characteristics in the analysis, however, this was no longer significant.
By HIV risk factor, prevalence was higher among crack cocaine users (4.5 percent) compared with non-users (1.7 percent), participants who exchanged sex for things like money or drugs (3.4 percent) than non-exchangers (1.8 percent), and those receiving an STD diagnosis (4.0 percent) compared with not (1.7 percent). After controlling for other factors, only STD diagnosis was associated with higher prevalence.
HIV prevalence was higher among those reporting less than high school education (2.8 percent) compared with more than a high school education (1.2 percent), being unemployed (2.6 percent) compared with employed (1 percent), and having an annual household income at or below the federal poverty line (2.3 percent), compared with above it (1 percent). Traditional risk factors such as crack use, exchange sex or STD diagnosis did not explain the association of HIV prevalence and SES, the authors noted.
After controlling for other factors, HIV prevalence was significantly higher among persons reporting low SES (less than high school, unemployed, less than or equal to $9,999 annual household income).
In urban areas with high AIDS prevalence, HIV prevention activities targeting heterosexuals should focus on low-income communities, the accompanying editorial note suggests. Structural interventions to improve socioeconomic conditions could potentially drive down the HIV incidence rate in these areas, it stated, citing two studies demonstrating the efficacy of such efforts.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
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