title: Demographic determinants of survival of people living with HIV attending an outpatient reference unit in the city of Três Lagoas, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in the period 1984-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While the incidence of HIV infection and AIDS is increasing in small Brazilian cities, epidemiological studies are often conducted in large urban centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our group conducted a retrospective analysis of survival determinants among 358 patients who attended a reference unit in a small city.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Death risk was lower among men that had sex with men, patients with an HIV-seropositive partner, and those admitted after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study documents the striking beneficial effect of HAART. The finding of other groups with improved survival may aid in the development of programmatic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Três Lagoas, MS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Angelina da Silva
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zuque
authors.forename: Domingos Alves
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Meira
authors.forename: Carlos Magno Castelo Branco
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Fortaleza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis