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HIV prevalence among foreign- and US-born clients of public STD clinics
Nina T Harawa1, Trista A Bingham, Susan D Cochran
1Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, HIV Epidemiology Program, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA. nharawa@dhs.co.la.ca.us
Objectives:
We examined differences in HIV seroprevalence and the likely timing of HIV infection by birth region.
Methods:
We analyzed unlinked HIV antibody data on 61 120 specimens from 7 public health centers in Los Angeles County from 1993 to 1999.
Results:
Most (87%) immigrant clients were Central American/Mexican-born. HIV prevalence was similar for US- and foreign-born clients (1.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.7%, 1.9%] and 1.6% [95% CI = 1.5%, 1.8%], respectively). Seroprevalence was high among sub-Saharan African females and low among Asian/Pacific Islander males and females. For HIV-positive immigrants, the average age at and time since immigration were 20.6 years and 12.3 years, respectively.
Conclusions:
The relatively young age at arrival and long time since arrival for HIV-positive foreign-born clients suggest that most were infected after immigration.