[Role of antiretroviral therapy in the reduction of the association between low educational level and AIDS-related mortality].
OBJECTIVE
AIDS-related mortality has been classically associated with lowest socioeconomic groups. In Spain, the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is delivered without cost; therefore this treatment it should have reduced the great social inequalities in AIDS-mortality seen before the HAART era. This study aims to assess the absolute and relative socioeconomic differences in AIDS-mortality in the Region of Madrid after the introduction of HAART.


METHODS
Two twenty-months cohorts were created, in 1996 and 2001, which correspond to an early and late HAART-era respectively. Absolute and relative differences in the AIDS-mortality rates were calculated for both periods using generalized linear models.


RESULTS
Absolute differences between the lowest and highest education level AIDS-related deaths decreased around 70% in the 2001 cohort. Those with lowest education level achieved the highest reduction rate, hence relative differences descended as well.


CONCLUSIONS
HAART has had an essential role in decreasing social inequalities in AIDS-mortality.
Sánchez
Elisabeth
E
Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, España. esanchezpadilla@gmail.com
Regidor
Enrique
E
de la Fuente
Luis
L
Luquero
Francisco J
FJ
de Mateo
Salvador
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D014505:Urban Population