Epidemiological Characteristics and Predictors of Late Presentation of HIV Infection in Barcelona
Author Information
Author(s): Patricia Garcia de Olalla, Christian Manzardo, Maria A Sambeat, Inma Ocaña, Hernando Knobel, Victoria Humet, Pere Domingo, Esteve Ribera, Ana Guelar, Andres Marco, Maria J Belza, Josep M Miró, Joan A Caylà, the HIV Surveillance Group
Primary Institution: Agencia de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Hypothesis
What are the factors associated with late presentation of HIV infection in Barcelona from 2001 to 2009?
Conclusion
Late presentation of HIV is still too frequent in all transmission groups despite efforts in HIV prevention.
Supporting Evidence
- 55.6% of newly diagnosed individuals were late presenters.
- Late presentation varied from 48% among MSM to 70% among heterosexual men.
- Older age, drug use, and being born in South America or sub-Saharan Africa were significant risk factors for late presentation.
Takeaway
Many people in Barcelona find out they have HIV too late, which can make it harder to treat. We need to help more people get tested earlier.
Methodology
Demographic and epidemiological characteristics of reported cases were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.
Potential Biases
Underreporting of HIV infection due to the voluntary nature of the surveillance system.
Limitations
Some cases lacked CD4 count data, which may lead to underestimation of late presentation.
Participant Demographics
The majority of cases were male (83.3%) with a median age of 35 years; 55% were born in Spain.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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