Association between community socioeconomic position and HIV diagnosis rate among adults and adolescents in the United States, 2005 to 2009

Q. An, J. Prejean, K.M. Harrison and Xiangming Fang

American Journal of Public Health, 2013, vol. 103, issue 1, 120-126

Abstract: Objectives. We examined the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and HIV diagnosis rates in the United States and whether racial/ethnic disparities in diagnosis rates persist after control for SEP. Methods. We used cases of HIV infection among persons aged 13 years and older, diagnosed 2005 through 2009 in 37 states and reported to national HIV surveillance through June 2010, and US Census data, to examine associations between county-level SEP measures and 5-year average annual HIV diagnosis rates overall and among race/ethnicity-sex groups. Results. The HIV diagnosis rate was significantly higher for individuals in the low-SEP tertile than for those in the high-SEP tertile (rate ratios for low- vs high-SEP tertiles range = 1.68-3.38) except for White males and Hispanic females. The SEP disparities were larger for minorities than for Whites. Racial disparities persisted after we controlled for SEP, urbanicity, and percentage of population aged 20 to 50 years, and were high in the low-SEP tertile for males and in low- and high-SEP tertiles for females. Conclusions. Findings support continued prioritization of HIV testing, prevention, and treatment to persons in economically deprived areas, and Blacks of all SEP levels. Copyright © 2012 by the American Public Health Association®.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; article; ethnic group; ethnology; female; health disparity; human; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; male; middle aged; race; sex difference; social class; United States, Adolescent; Adult; Continental Population Groups; Ethnic Groups; Female; Health Status Disparities; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Sex Factors; Social Class; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2012.300853_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.300853

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