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Foreign-Born Persons Diagnosed with HIV: Where are They From and Where Were They Infected?

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Abstract

We sought to calculate rates of HIV diagnoses by area of birth among foreign-born persons in a high-incidence US city with many immigrants, and determine probable place of HIV acquisition. Data from the New York City HIV surveillance registry and American Community Survey were used to calculate HIV diagnosis rates by area of birth and determine probable place of HIV acquisition among foreign-born diagnosed in 2006–2012. HIV diagnosis rates varied by area of birth and were highest among African-born persons; absolute numbers were highest among Caribbean-born persons. Probable place of acquisition was a foreign country for 23 % (from 9 % among Middle Easterners to 43 % among Africans), US for 61 % (from 34 % among Africans to 76 % among South Americans), and not possible to estimate for 16 %. HIV prevention and testing initiatives should take into account variability by foreign area of birth in HIV diagnosis rates and place of acquisition.

Resumen

Intentamos calcular los niveles de diagnósticos de VIH por lugar de nacimiento entre personas nacidas en el extranjero en una ciudad de los Estados Unidos de alta incidencia de infección del VIH y con muchos inmigrantes, y determinar el lugar probable de contagio. Se utilizaron los datos del registro de vigilancia del VIH de la ciudad de Nueva York y los datos de la Encuesta de la Comunidad Estadounidense para calcular los niveles de diagnóstico de VIH por lugar de nacimiento y determinar el lugar probable de contagio entre las personas nacidas en el extranjero y diagnosticadas durante el periodo del 2006 al 2012. Los niveles de diagnóstico del VIH variaron por lugar de nacimiento y fueron más altos entre personas de origen africano; los números absolutos fueron más altos entre personas de origen caribeño. El lugar probable de contagio del VIH fue para el 23 % otro país (de 9 % entre personas del Medio Oriente hasta 43 % entre personas de origen africano), para el 61 % los Estados Unidos (de 34 % entre personas de origen africano hasta 76 % entre sudamericanos), y para el 16 % no fue posible estimar. Las iniciativas de prevención del VIH y promoción de la prueba del VIH deben tomar en cuenta la variedad por lugar de nacimiento en los niveles de diagnóstico del VIH y el lugar de contagio.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Hani N. Nasrallah for his contribution to preliminary data analyses and Rafael Ponce and Eleonora Jimenez-Levi for their help translating the abstract into Spanish. This analysis was supported through a cooperative agreement between the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, HIV Epidemiology and Field Services Program, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PS08-80202, #U62/CCU223595).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. HIV Epidemiology and Field Services Program, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 42-09 28th Street, 22nd Floor, Long Island City, New York, NY, 11101, USA

    Ellen W. Wiewel, Lucia V. Torian, Angelica Bocour & Colin W. Shepard

  2. The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    David B. Hanna

Authors
  1. Ellen W. Wiewel
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  2. Lucia V. Torian
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  3. David B. Hanna
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  4. Angelica Bocour
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  5. Colin W. Shepard
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Correspondence to Ellen W. Wiewel.

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Wiewel, E.W., Torian, L.V., Hanna, D.B. et al. Foreign-Born Persons Diagnosed with HIV: Where are They From and Where Were They Infected?. AIDS Behav 19, 890–898 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0954-1

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