This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on ISI (4)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Infectious Diseases  • HIV/AIDS  • Pregnancy and Breast Feeding  • Neonatology and Infant Care  • Alert me on articles by topic

A Valuable Epidemiologic Tool

Wendy P. Pulver, MS; Donna Glebatis, MS; Nancy Wade, MD, MPH; Guthrie S. Birkhead, MD, MPH; Perry Smith, MD

Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:443-448.

Background  Women in New York State are heavily affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic. New York has had the largest number of births to HIV-infected pregnant women in the United States. Data collected as part of the Survey of Childbearing Women have been valuable for assessing the impact of the disease on the women of New York.

Objective  To assess HIV prevalence trends among childbearing women in New York State.

Design, Setting, and Participants  An unlinked HIV seroprevalence study was conducted among all women residing in and giving birth in New York State from 1988 through 2000. Trend and cohort analyses were conducted.

Main Outcome Measure  HIV prevalence, defined as the number of HIV-positive specimens divided by the totalnumber of HIV-positive and HIV-negative specimens, by geographic region, racial/ethnic group, and maternal age cohort.

Results  Trends indicated a steady decline in HIV prevalence in New York State. New York City had a 49% decrease in prevalence between 1988 through 1989 and 1999 through 2000, and the rest of the state showed a 24% decline. However, birth cohort analysis indicated different patterns in trend by subpopulation, with some groups experiencing little or no decline.

Conclusion  This study reports on the only statewide population-based HIV prevalence data currently available for childbearing women; these data have been a valuable tool for monitoring trends, targeting resources, and evaluating programs and policies.

From the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Epidemiology (Mss Pulver and Glebatis), the Division of Family Health (Dr Wade), the AIDS Institute (Dr Birkhead), and the Division of Epidemiology (Dr Smith), New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, and the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany (Drs Wade, Birkhead, and Smith).

RELATED ARTICLE

Successes and Challenges in the Perinatal HIV-1 Epidemic in the United States as Illustrated by the HIV-1 Serosurvey of Childbearing Women
Lynne M. Mofenson
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158(5):422-425.
EXTRACT | FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Prenatal Screening for HIV: A Review of the Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
Chou et al.
ANN INTERN MED 2005;143:38-54.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

HIV Infection and Zidovudine Use in Childbearing Women
Sia et al.
Pediatrics 2004;114:e707-e712.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Successes and Challenges in the Perinatal HIV-1 Epidemic in the United States as Illustrated by the HIV-1 Serosurvey of Childbearing Women
Mofenson
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004;158:422-425.
FULL TEXT