SOCIOECONOMIC GEOGRAPHICAL LINKS TO HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS SEROPREVALENCE AMONG CHILDBEARING WOMEN IN MONTREAL, 1989-1993

Background To describe the socioeconomic profiles of geographical area s on Montreal Island in which human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serop ositive women delivering live births between 1989 and 1993 reside. Met hods Leftover dried blood spot filter paper specimens collected from n ewborns were irretrievably unlinked from identifying information prior to testing. Seroprevalence estimates were calculated based on Western blot confirmed positive samples. Using data from the Canadian census, Revenue Canada, and provincial birth records, the socioeconomic chara cteristics of postal zones in which seropositive mothers reside were d escribed. Results Montreal Island had an overall S-year HIV seropreval ence rate estimate of 16.6 (95% CI:14.1-19.3) per 1000 childbearing wo men. Areas in which at least one seropositive woman gave birth had low er mean infant birthweights and higher percentages of single mothers a nd single-parent families. The HIV-positive neonatal blood specimens w ere more likely to originate from areas where a higher proportion of r esidents reported less education, greater unemployment, and lower inco me. Conclusions Higher HIV infection rates were found among childbeari ng women from lower socioeconomic areas of Montreal. Increased underst anding of the relationship between socioeconomic status and HIV acquis ition and transmission is required to inform the development of target ed HIV prevention programmes.