Profile of HIV disease in an American border city.
A previous study on patterns of migration of HIV-infected persons suggested that most patients in a rural setting in eastern Tennessee acquired their disease in an urban area, typically during a period of prolonged residence. Disease and disability were the most common reasons for returning to their hometown. We studied our urban, border-city HIV clinic population to see whether similar patterns of migration were discernible. Fifty-one of the 103 patients studied lived outside the El Paso/Juarez area when they contracted HIV infection. The major reason cited for returning home was a desire to return to family (25%). Those who returned and those who had never left showed no statistically significant difference in age, race, or risk factors. This study suggests that migration of HIV-infected patients back to their hometown does not appear to be an exclusively rural phenomenon.
Verghese
A
A
Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso 79905-1298, USA.
Nabhan
D
D
Escobedo
M A
MA
Guardado
J
J
Guerra
L G
LG
Ho
H
H
Casner
P
P
Berk
M L
ML
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D001727:Bisexuality; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D014504:Urban Health