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. 2017 May;27(5):329-334.e2.
doi: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2017.04.002. Epub 2017 Apr 21.

Trends in racial/ethnic disparities of new AIDS diagnoses in the United States, 1984-2013

Johanna Chapin-Bardales  1 , Eli Samuel Rosenberg  2 , Patrick Sean Sullivan  2
Affiliations

Trends in racial/ethnic disparities of new AIDS diagnoses in the United States, 1984-2013

Johanna Chapin-Bardales et al. Ann Epidemiol. 2017 May.

Abstract

Purpose: In the United States, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic minorities. We describe and evaluate trends in the Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities of new AIDS diagnoses from 1984 to 2013 in the United States.

Methods: AIDS diagnosis rates by race/ethnicity for people ≥13 years were calculated using national HIV surveillance and Census data. Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities were measured as rate ratios. Joinpoint Regression was used to identify time periods across which to estimate rate-ratio trends. We calculated the estimated annual percent change in disparities for each time period using log-normal linear regression modeling.

Results: Black-White disparity increased from 1984 to 1990, followed by a large increase from 1991 to 1996, and a smaller increase from 1997 to 2001. Black-White disparity moderated from 2002 to 2005 and rose again from 2006 to 2013. Hispanic-White disparity increased from 1984 to 1997 but declined after 1998. Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities increased for men who have sex with men during 2008 to 2013.

Conclusions: Recent increases in racial/ethnic disparities of AIDS diagnoses were observed and may be due in part to care continuum inequalities. We suggest assessing disparities in AIDS diagnoses as a high-level measure to capture changes at multiple stages of the care continuum collectively. Future research should examine determinants of racial/ethnic differences at each step of the continuum to better identify characteristics driving disparities.

Keywords: AIDS; Care; Disparities; HIV; Racial/ethnic; Trends.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interests to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Racial/ethnic disparities in new AIDS diagnoses among adults and adolescents, United States and Puerto Rico, 1984–2013.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trends in racial/ethnic disparities of new AIDS diagnoses among adults and adolescents, United States and Puerto Rico, 1984–2013.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trends in racial/ethnic disparities of new AIDS diagnoses among adult and adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM), United States, 2008–2013.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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