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The percentage of US women who have HIV infection was relatively stable between 1989 and 1994. This was the conclusion of researchers who used data from the national Survey of Childbearing Women, which covers most of the 50 states. Between 1989 and 1994, the number of women nationwide with HIV infection was 1.5 to 1.7 per 1,000 women. The number was higher among black women in the South. Even though the number of AIDS cases and AIDS deaths increased during this period, the number of women with HIV was stable. This indicates that the number of women becoming infected equals the number who are dying from AIDS.

HIV infection rates appear to have fallen among disadvantaged, out-of-school youth from 1990 to 1996. Using data from 357,443 US Job Corp participants in job training programs, researchers found that 0.2% of tested youth aged 16-21 years were infected with HIV. The rate of HIV infection was higher among African-Americans and highest, 0.5%, among African-American women. The rates of HIV infection declined from 1990 through 1996, but remain high in this group of young people. Continued HIV education is necessary in this at-risk group.

This study addresses the fact that adding CD4+ status to the definition of AIDS in 1993 distorted the accuracy of count of contraction of the disease. The authors developed a way of accounting for opportunistic infections without this factor, thereby improving ability to accurately see the trends.

Data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) indicate that about half a million US residents are infected with the AIDS virus. Of the 11,203 people in the survey tested for HIV, 59, or 0.32%, were HIV-positive. This translates to 461,000 people nationwide. However, the survey participants were between the ages of 18 and 59 and resided in households. Thus, the survey did not include homeless people, prisoners and others at high risk of infection.

African-Americans may be more likely to be HIV positive than whites, and men may be more likely than women to be infected. A portion of participants in a national health and nutrition survey provided blood samples that were tested anonymously for HIV antibodies. Among 5,430 adults between the ages of 18 and 59, 29 had positive tests. Analysis of the demographic data showed that African-Americans were 4.3 times more likely than whites and 2.7 times more likely than Mexican Americans to be HIV positive. Men were estimated to be three to four times as likely as women to be HIV positive. Most of the study participants who tested positive for HIV were in the younger age group, that is from 18 to 39. The prevalence estimates might be lower than actual prevalence if persons more likely to be HIV positive declined to participate in the study. Also, the survey covered only civilian persons living in households, excluding prisoners and homeless people.

The incidence of AIDS in homosexual and bisexual men not using intravenous drugs and living in New York City (NYC), Los Angeles (LA), and San Francisco (SF) leveled off by 1987, but in the same population living in other areas of the US, the incidence continued to increase. This study examined the geographic and ethnic diversity of the incidence of AIDS in this population of men. Data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for all AIDS cases diagnosed in homosexual and bisexual males who did not use intravenous drugs for the 1983 to 1990 period covering. Incidence rates by racial and geographic factors were calculated. The increase in incidence of AIDS for those from the study group living in NYC, LA and SF began to slow in 1986 and leveled off by the end of 1987. In NYC, the incidence decreased further in 1989 and 1990. In other metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1,000,000, the increase in incidence began to slow in 1987 and leveled off by June 1989. In smaller metropolitan areas and rural areas, the increase in incidence did not begin to slow until 1990. Although the incidence had peaked for white, Hispanic, and black ethnic groups in NYC and LA, the plateau was reached a year earlier among whites. Outside of NYC, LA, and SF, the incidence of AIDS continued to increase for Hispanic and black ethnic groups, but appeared to have leveled off in white ethnic groups. Because a number of factors, including medical interventions, have contributed to the leveling off seen in some areas and groups and because HIV seroconversions continue to occur in this population of homosexual and bisexual men, these figures should not lead to complacency. Prevention efforts geared toward this population of men must be continued and strengthened. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

The effect of the 1987 change in definition of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on the number and characteristics of cases in the United States was assessed. From the time of the revision through 1988, there have been 28,920 cases diagnosed and reported. The proportion of these cases that fulfill the new criteria for AIDS was 28 percent, ranging from 0 to 82 percent in different regions of the country. This proportion increased from 26 percent in the last quarter of 1987 to 31 percent in the last quarter of 1988. The percentage of cases meeting the new AIDS criteria was higher at 43 percent among intravenous drug users, but lower at 21 percent among homosexual men who were not intravenous drug users. The new criteria require a positive test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, although the practice of HIV testing varies among states. The revision in the definition of AIDS has resulted in changes in the distribution of cases. For example, heterosexual intravenous drug abusers accounted for 18 percent of all AIDS cases before the revision, but for 35 percent of the cases afterwards. Thus, the results show that the changes in the definition of AIDS may influence the reporting of AIDS cases, which may affect the interpretation of trends in the number and characteristics of AIDS cases. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)