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. 2017 Dec 7;43(12):257-261.
doi: 10.14745/ccdr.v43i12a02.

AIDS in Canada-Surveillance Report, 2016

L Jonah  1 , A C Bourgeois  1 , M Edmunds  1 , A Awan  1 , O Varsaneux  1 , W Siu  1
Affiliations

AIDS in Canada-Surveillance Report, 2016

L Jonah et al. Can Commun Dis Rep. .

Abstract

Background: Although there continues to be a global epidemic of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) there has been a decrease in the number of people dying of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), largely due to successful treatment with antiretroviral therapy.

Objective: To provide a descriptive overview of the reported cases of AIDS in Canada by identifying trends by geographic location, sex, age group and mortality. While the descriptive analysis focuses on the year 2016, results are presented for reported cases from the beginning of national AIDS surveillance in 1979.

Methods: The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) monitors AIDS in Canada through the national HIV/AIDS Surveillance System (HASS) and Statistics Canada. HASS is a passive, case-based surveillance system that maintains non-nominal data on cases of HIV and AIDS provided voluntarily by the Canadian provinces and territories. Of note, AIDS is no longer a reportable disease in Newfoundland and Labrador (as of 2009) and in Prince Edward Island (as of 2012). Data were also retrieved on annual deaths attributed to HIV/AIDS from Statistics Canada. Data were collated, tables and figures were prepared, then descriptive statistics were applied by PHAC and validated by each province and territory.

Results: A total of 114 AIDS cases were reported in 2016, with a cumulative total of 24,179 since 1979. These numbers represent a steady decline in the number of reported AIDS cases per year of diagnosis in Canada since 1993. Of reporting provinces, the greatest numbers of cases in 2016 were reported by Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Males accounted for 72.8% of reported AIDS cases and adults aged 50 years and older accounted for the greatest proportion by age group (36.0%). For all reporting years combined, the age distribution of AIDS cases is similar by sex, though a larger proportion of female cases were under the age of 30 years old. Limited data were reported for ethnicity and risk factors. The numbers of annual deaths attributed to AIDS infection have been declining since 1995. There were a record low of 241 AIDS-related deaths reported in 2013-the most recent year for which data were available. The number of AIDS-related deaths in Canada has declined 86.2% since 1995.

Conclusion: The number of AIDS cases reported by participating provinces and territories and the number of AIDS-related deaths reported by Statistics Canada has declined. While this represents a promising trend, the data should be interpreted with caution given the limitations of the dataset which could lead to an underestimate of the magnitude of the disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Number of reported AIDS cases by year of diagnosis—Canada, 1979–2016
Abbreviation: P/T, province or territory Legend: The upper section of the figure represents the cases reported by any P/T that has stopped reporting AIDS over time, or did not report in 2016 (QC (2003), NL (2009), PE (2012), and BC (2016). The lower portion of each bar represents the cases reported by provinces that have consistently reported AIDS cases to PHAC since 1979
Figure 2
Figure 2. Number of reported AIDS cases diagnosed by province/territory in 2015 and 2016
Abbreviation: NR, not reported
Figure 3
Figure 3. Proportion of AIDS diagnoses by age group, by year—Canada, 2007–2016
Note: Quebec AIDS data have not been available since June 30, 2003. British Columbia AIDS data were not available for 2016. AIDS is no longer a reportable disease in Newfoundland and Labrador as of 2009 and in Prince Edward Island as of 2012. This also excludes AIDS cases for which age was not reported
Figure 4
Figure 4. Number of reported AIDS diagnoses by sex—Canada, 2007–2016
Note: Quebec AIDS data have not been available since June 30, 2003. British Columbia AIDS data were not available for 2016. AIDS is no longer a reportable disease in Newfoundland and Labrador as of 2009 and in Prince Edward Island as of 2012. This also excludes AIDS cases for which sex was not reported or was reported as transsexual or transgender
Figure 5
Figure 5. Number of deaths attributed to HIV infection among adults (≥15 years old) by year of death and sex—Canada, 1987–2013
Note: From Statistics Canada. Canadian Vital Statistics, Birth and Death Databases (8)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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