179491 Scope of the HIV/AIDS epidemic along the U.S.–Mexico border

Tuesday, October 28, 2008: 11:15 AM

Lily N. Foster, MSPH , New Mexico Department of Health, HIV & Hepatitis Epidemiology Program, Santa Fe, NM
Kathleen Rooney, MPH , New Mexico Department of Health, HIV & Hepatitis Epidemiology Program, Santa Fe, NM
Thomas J. Stopka, MHS , Epidemiologic Studies Section, California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS, Sacramento, CA
Juan Ruiz, MD, DrPH , Epidemiology Branch, California Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS, Sacramento, CA
Ann Nakamura, MPH , California Department of Health Services, HIV/AIDS Case Registry Section, Sacramento, CA
S. Robert Bailey, MSPH , Arizona Department of Health Services, HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Phoenix, AZ
Nita Ngo, MPH , Texas Department of State Health Services, HIV/STD Epidemiolgy and Surveillance Branch, Austin, TX
Jeff Hitt, MEd , Texas Department of State Health Services, HIV/STD Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Austin, TX
Natalie O. Cramer, MSSW , National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors, Washington, DC
Enrique Bravo-García , Secretaría de Salud, Centro Nacional para la Prevención y el Control del VIH/SIDA, Mexico City, Mexico
Carlos Magis-Rodriguez, MD, MPH , Secretaría de Salud, Centro Nacional para la Prevención y el Control del VIH/SIDA, Mexico City, Mexico
Background: The U.S.-Mexico Border HIV/AIDS Epidemiologic Profile was developed to provide a comprehensive description of the current status of the epidemic in the border region. A multi-state and bi-national collaborative team convened in 2006-2007 to support this effort.

Methods: HIV/AIDS surveillance staff from county, state and national public health agencies analyzed existing data for the 23 counties in four U.S. states and 36 municipalities in six Mexican states along the border. Sociodemographics from population estimates, vital statistics, and community surveys were analyzed. HIV/AIDS surveillance data were compiled to characterize the epidemic on both sides of the border.

Results: The proportion of persons identifying as Latino or living in poverty in U.S. border counties increases from west to east. A larger proportion of the Mexican population was younger, lacked higher education, and lived in poverty.

In 2005, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in U.S. border states was 239 per 100,000 population compared to 96 per 100,000 in Mexican border states. Fifty percent of the 878 new U.S. diagnoses were reported in San Diego County, California. Of the 2,102 new Mexican diagnoses, 42% were in Baja California and 21% in Tamaulipas, the western-most and eastern-most states, respectively.

Conclusions: Preliminary analyses of aggregated epidemiologic data indicate that the burden of HIV/AIDS varies along the U.S.-Mexico border. Inherent population differences may be the source of this variation and merits additional research. Lastly, the sociodemographics of the border population could also assist public health officials, researchers, policy makers and community-based organizations in areas outside of HIV/AIDS.

Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize the sociodemographic differences between the U.S. and Mexican border populations. 2. Describe the geographic distribution of the HIV/AIDS epidemic along the U.S.-Mexico border. 3. Discuss the overall scope of the HIV/AIDS epidemic along the U.S-Mexico border in terms of demographics, risk, and mortality.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the New Mexico representative for the collaborative that conducted the data analysis and writing of the epidemiologic profile.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: HIV Issues Facing the U.S. and Mexico
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