Women and persons of color comprise a growing proportion of heterosexually acquired U.S. HIV cases. In the current study, the authors analyzed the association between race/ethnicity, whether diagnoses of HIV and AIDS were made concurrently, and the survival after AIDS diagnosis.

Data from 29 states reporting confidential name-based HIV/AIDS cases to CDC were used to calculate estimated annual percentage change in the number of actual diagnoses. The association between race/ethnicity and concurrent diagnoses of HIV and AIDS was analyzed. The researchers adjusted for reporting delays and lack of information about HIV risk factors.

From 1999 to 2004, 52,569 persons in the 29 states were diagnosed with heterosexually acquired HIV. Of these, 33,554 (64 percent) were women. Among men and women, 38,470 (73 percent) were non-Hispanic black, 7,761 (15 percent) non-Hispanic white, and 5,383 (10 percent) Hispanic. There was a significant increase in the number of persons with heterosexually acquired HIV: 6.1 percent among Hispanic men (95 percent confidence interval [CI]=2.7, 9.7) and 4.5 percent among Hispanic women (95 percent CI=1.8, 7.3). The number decreased slightly among non-Hispanic black men (-2.9 percent). Concurrent diagnoses of HIV and AIDS were slightly more common for non-Hispanic whites (23 percent) and Hispanics (23 percent) than for non-Hispanic blacks (20 percent).

"To decrease the incidence of heterosexually acquired HIV infections, prevention and education programs should target all persons at risk, especially women, non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics," the authors concluded.

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