Epidemiologic profile of AIDS among Puerto Rican women in the San Juan Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area, 1981-1995.
This article describes the epidemiologic profile of Puerto Rican women affected by AIDS in the San Juan Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA). Information from AIDS cases reported to the Puerto Rico (PR) AIDS Surveillance System was analyzed. From July 1981 through June 30 1995, a cumulative total of 15,877 AIDS cases have been reported in PR, 9,838 (62%) of these cases were reported in the San Juan SMSA and 2,044 (20.8%) were women. The male to female ratio was 3.8. The predominant mode of exposure among women was heterosexual contact (48.7%), followed by intravenous drug use (40.4%). The most affected age group among women was 30 to 39 years (43.3%) followed by 20-29 (26.2%). Eighty-one percent of women were in childbearing age. A substantial increase in AIDS cases has been reported for women who revealed heterosexual contact (from 45% in 1993 to 64% in 1995), representing the fastest growing category of AIDS cases in the island. The median survival time after reporting was 16.4 months (95% CI: 15.3-17.7) for males and 22.7 months (95% CI: 19.9 and 26.9) for females. Preventive efforts must be oriented toward education and risk behavior modification primarily directed to young women.
Pérez-Perdomo
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Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00936-5067, USA.
Súarez-Pérez
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Pérez-Cardona
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D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D014505:Urban Population; D014930:Women