The HIV/AIDS epidemiological situation among men and women in Serbia in the period 2007-2017: Joinpoint regression analysis

Abstract

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a global major health problem. According to the data for 2018, there were 37.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the world, and the number of deaths related to AIDS was about 770,000. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the trend of newly diagnosed HIV-infected people, AIDS patients and AIDS-related deaths among men and women in Serbia, for the period 2007-2017. Materials and methods: Data on newly diagnosed HIV-infected people, AIDS patients and AIDS-related deaths were taken from the Report on Infectious Diseases in the Republic of Serbia. Age-specific and standardized mortality and incidence rates (standardized according to the world population) were calculated based on the data obtained. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to examine the trend. Results: The average standardized rates of newly diagnosed HIV-infected people (per 100,000) in Serbia, for the period 2007-2017, were 3.4 for men and 0.8 for women. There was a significant annual increase in standardized rates of newly diagnosed HIV-infected people; 7.0% for men and 21.1% for women. The average standardized rates (per 100,000) of AIDS incidence were 0.9 for men and 0.2 for women. There was a significant annual increase of 4.9% in the standardized incidence rate of AIDS in men, and a significant decrease of -12.2% in women. The average standardized mortality rates from AIDS (per 100,000) were 0.4 for men and 0.1 for women. During the observation period, there were no significant changes in the standardized mortality rates from AIDS in men, while in women there was a significant decline of -13.9% per year. The most common route of HIV transmission in men was sexual intercourse with men (69.0%), and in women it was heterosexual intercourse (75.7%). Conclusion: Further work is needed, primarily in advancing preventive measures, particularly by educating young people about transmission pathways and risks, but also in the early detection of HIV-infected persons and timely treatment.