Shifting sands: changing regional and gender-specific patterns of HIV/AIDS mortality in Canada, 1987 to 2008.
OBJECTIVE
To assess patterns of HIV-related mortality by period, gender and age group in Canada from 1987 to 2008.


METHODS
We applied standard demographic techniques to assess changes in HIV/AIDS mortality over five time periods: 1987-1991, 1992-1996, 1997-2001, 2002-2006, and 2007-2008. HIV/AIDS-related mortality was based on deaths in which HIV infection or AIDS was reported as the underlying cause of death. Population figures were obtained from annual estimates. Age-, sex- and province-specific crude and standardized HIV/AIDS mortality rates and ratios were used to examine changes in mortality.


RESULTS
In the period from 1987 to 2008, there were 17,287 HIV/AIDS-related deaths; of these, 15,587 (90.2%) occurred among men and 1,700 (9.8%) among women. Standardized and age-specific death rates were generally higher in men than women. Among men, rates of mortality were highest in Quebec and British Columbia; and among women, rates increased over time in British Columbia and the Prairies and decreased in Quebec. In general, rates of death were highest in 1992-1996 and lowest in the latest period.


CONCLUSIONS
We observed a sharp decline in mortality rates with the introduction of HAART; however, the rates were higher among men in Quebec and British Columbia and among women in British Columbia, Quebec and the Prairies.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC.
Lindsay M
LM
Belvedere
Caroline L
CL
Miller
Robert S
RS
Hogg
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors