Abstract

Controversies about causes of feminization of HIV epidemic in Argentina

A. Adaszko, A. Duran, A. Ayma, S. Gerez, L. Recoder, C. Bloch

Dirección de Sida y ETS, Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Background: Over the last decade, preventive strategies from sectors involved in the response to HIV/AIDS in Argentina were based on the premise that the epidemic was progresively "more female, younger and poorer". The aim of this presentation is to analyze the epidemiological support to the feminization process by describing trends of epidemiological and management parameters.
Methods: We analyzed 15,373 cases of AIDS, 41,517 new HIV infections and 11,553 deaths by AIDS reported to AIDS Program as well the gender of 47,488 PLWHIV/AIDS taking care in the health public sector. To observe the trend of seven indicators related to gender, three years were considered.
Results: [tab_01]
The male/female rate in PLWHIV/AIDS taking care in the health public sector was 1.5 in 2005 and 1.4 in 2008.
Conclusions: While the indicators examined show an increase in the proportion of infections in women in the first half of the decade, in recent years have remained stable. This process is related to a decline in new infections and mortality in men. It is possible that offering of testing to all pregnant women without an adequate offer of testing to their partners explain this trend rather than an increase in the number of infected women.
Download the e-Poster