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Document 2577
DOCN M94A2577
TI Heterogeneity of HIV epidemic in the Italian regions.
DT 9412
AU Cantoni M; Grossi P; Mariotto A; Verdecchia A; Istituto Superiore di
Sanita, Roma, Italy.
SO Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(1):272 (abstract no. PC0009). Unique
Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94369998
AB OBJECTIVE: The AIDS epidemic, as with any infectious disease epidemics,
encloses clusters of subepidemics separated geographically. The
objective is to characterize the Italian AIDS epidemic into regional
subepidemics and highlight any differences in order to adopt more
efficient local prevention and health care strategies. METHOD: To
compare the regional patterns of the epidemic, standardized AIDS rates,
with reference to the regional population by age, were estimated for
each calendar year (1983-1993), region and risk group. RESULTS: As a
first regional division of the AIDS epidemic in Italy, the country could
be divided into the North-Central region, which has a high incidence
rate and prevalence, and the Southern region where the epidemic is at
lower levels. However, in the North-Central region, the epidemic is not
uniformly distributed, the highest incidence rates in 1992 being
localized around large towns: Milan and surroundings (15 per 100,000)
and Rome (13 per 100,000) and the harbour towns: Genoa (18 per 100,000),
Livorno (13 per 100,000) and Cagliari (on the island of Sardegna) (12
per 100,000). There is heterogeneity however, with respect to ways of
transmission. In the above-mentioned, high incidence regions, the
epidemic occurs mainly between IVDU's: Cagliari (73%), Genoa (69%),
Milan (63%) and Roma (61%), whereas in some of the lower-incidence
regions the epidemic is characterized by having a considerable number of
homosexuals cases, for example, in the Toscany region with an AIDS
incidence rate of 7 per 100,000 about 40% are homosexuals. Among
heterosexuals the AIDS epidemic is at relatively low levels in Italy
(about 1 per 100,000), with the exception of Rimini, a turistic, sea
resort, where this group represents 21% of all local AIDS cases with an
incidence rate of 4 per 100,000 by far the largest in the country.
CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION: The method allows the comparison of rates
rather than counts which is important since, for example, the small
number of AIDS cases in Sardegna would not in itself indicate a high
incidence rate, as it does when referred to its small population. This
method can correctly assess the importance of the epidemic in the
different groups. As a consequence of the heterogeneity the course of
the epidemic in each area is expected to continue at different rates.
DE Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION *Disease
Outbreaks Human Incidence Italy/EPIDEMIOLOGY Risk Factors Sex
Behavior Substance Abuse, Intravenous/COMPLICATIONS MEETING ABSTRACT
SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be
protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).