EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AIDS AMONG HISPANICS IN CHICAGO

The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology of AIDS amo ng Hispanics in Chicago. These data are needed to tailor prevention an d treatment programs across diverse Hispanic ethnic subgroups. To purs ue Hispanic origin for the 1,289 Hispanic persons diagnosed with AIDS in Chicago, death certificates for those cases contained in Chicago's AIDS Reporting System (ARS) file that were deceased were examined for information on national origin; the AIDS case reporting form was modif ied in January 1994 to collect data on Hispanic ethnic origin; care pr oviders were contacted for further information; and medical records we re investigated to determine Hispanic ethnic origin. Ethnic origins ob tained from all sources are according to patient self-report. All refe rence to Hispanic ethnic subgroups in this study include U.S. born and foreign-born Hispanics. Ethnic subgroup was identified for 989 Hispan ic persons (77% of the 1,289 Hispanic cases) in the ARS. Data collecte d indicate that for all races and across Hispanic ethnic subgroups, Pu erto Ricans have had the highest annual AIDS case rate since 1987. The mode of transmission for Puerto Rican males is predominantly through injection drug use (IDU), whereas for Mexican males the predominant mo de of transmission is through males having sex with other males (MSM). For all Hispanic females, heterosexual contact was the predominant mo de of transmission, with the largest proportion being sex partners of IDUs. The descriptive epidemiology of AIDS across Hispanic ethnic subg roups in Chicago highlights the need to target specific interventions among Puerto Ricans. In particular, culturally sensitive interventions tailored for Puerto Rican IDUs and their sex partners are needed, as are interventions for all Hispanic females who are at increased risk f or heterosexual transmission.