HIV seroprevalence among homeless and marginally housed adults in San Francisco.
OBJECTIVE
We report HIV seroprevalence and risk factors for urban indigent adults.


METHODS
A total of 2508 adults from shelters, meal programs, and low-cost hotels received interviews, blood tests, and tuberculosis screening.


RESULTS
Seroprevalence was 10.5% overall, 29.6% for men reporting sex with men (MSM), 7.7% for non-MSM injection drug users (IDUs), and 5.0% for residual non-MSM/non-IDUs. Risk factors were identified for MSM (sex trade among Whites, non-White race, recent receptive anal sex, syphilis), non-MSM IDUs (syphilis, lower education, prison, syringe sharing, transfusion), and residual subjects (> or = 5 recent sexual partners, female crack users who gave sex for drugs).


CONCLUSIONS
HIV seroprevalence was 5 times greater for indigent adults than in San Francisco generally. Sexual behavior predicted HIV infection better than drug use, even among IDUs.
Robertson
Marjorie J
MJ
Department of Epidemiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA. mrobertson@arg.org
Clark
Richard A
RA
Charlebois
Edwin D
ED
Tulsky
Jacqueline
J
Long
Heather L
HL
Bangsberg
David R
DR
Moss
Andrew R
AR
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006306:Health Surveys; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011638:Public Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*