HIV infection among people of foreign origin voluntarily tested in Spain. A comparison with national subjects

• Published in: Sexually transmitted infections Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 250 - 254
• Main Authors: Castilla, Jesús, Sobrino, Paz, del Amo, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01-08-2002; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; Africa - ethnology; AIDS; Analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Clinics; Counseling; Demographic aspects; Europe - ethnology; Female; female sex workers; Heterosexuality; Heterosexuality - ethnology; Heterosexuality - statistics & numerical data; HIV; HIV infection; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - ethnology; HIV prevalence; HIV testing; Homosexuality, Male - ethnology; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Latin America - ethnology; Male; Medical sciences; Medical tests; migrants; Multivariate Analysis; Original; Prevalence; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Risk Assessment; Risk-Taking; Sex industry; Sex Work - ethnology; Sex Work - statistics & numerical data; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Europe; Spain; North Africa; Africa; Latin America; Infection; Human; Immunopathology; Prevalence; Immigrant; Viral disease; Risk factor; AIDS; Spanish; Medical screening; Immune deficiency; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1368-4973; 1472-3263
• DOI: 10.1136/sti.78.4.250

Objectives: To describe exposure categories and HIV prevalence among subjects voluntarily tested in Spain by country of origin. Methods: HIV prevalence and exposure categories were compared between national and non-Spanish subjects voluntarily tested in 18 sexually transmitted disease/HIV testing clinics from 16 Spanish cities in 2000. Results: Of 8861 testers, 2810 (31.7%) came from foreign countries; 73.1% from Latin America, 9.1% from western Europe, 6.2% from central/eastern Europe, 4.4% from northern Africa, and 4.2% from sub-Sahara Africa. Among women from Latin America, 78% were sex workers compared to 5.5% Spanish women. HIV infection was diagnosed in 170 persons, 34.7% from foreign countries. HIV prevalence for Spanish subjects (23% for men and 1.0% for women) was significantly different from men and women from Latin America (11.3% and 0.3% respectively), Sub-Saharan Africa (9.1% and 7.5% respectively), and women from the north of Africa (11.8%). Compared with Spaniards, analyses of persons of the same exposure category showed higher HIV prevalence in men who had sex with men from Latin America (odds ratio: 4.1; 95% CI: 2.4–6.9), heterosexual men from sub-Sahara Africa (OR: 19.3; 95% CI: 6.4–58.0), and Latin America (OR: 9.4; 95% CI: 3.4–25.9), heterosexual women from sub-Sahara Africa (OR: 16.9; 95% CI: 3.5–82.4) and from northern Africa (OR: 15.3; 95% CI: 3.2–73.2). Conclusions: An important proportion of HIV testers from these clinics came from foreign countries and some groups showed a high prevalence of HIV infection. Specific prevention and testing programmes adapted to the needs of migrants in Spain should be developed.