HIV/AIDS & Populations at Risk in Broward County, Florida

Objective. 1) Identify risk groups within Broward County with highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS; 2) Inform health professionals on local demographics of HIV/AIDS and inform policies and interventions. Background. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks CD4 cells, leading to immune system destruction and can progress into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). There is no effective cure for HIV/AIDS. The CDC reports that 1.1million people in the US have HIV and 1 in 7 people are unaware that they are infected. This study provides an analysis of Broward County populations at-risk for contracting HIV, and provides insight into health disparities and intervention strategies. Methods. Secondary data analysis with Microsoft Excel using de-identified data from AIDSVu and CDC National Surveillance Database from 2012-2015. Variables of interest included: age, gender, race, and zipcode. Results. In each of the years studied, black males, 45-59 years old, residing in the 33311 zip-code had the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in Broward County. Males consistently had higher rates of HIV/AIDS compared to females. The black population consistently had higher rates of HIV/AIDS over other races – followed by the white and Hispanic populations, respectively. The 25-44 age group consistently had the second highest rate of HIV/AIDS. This zip-code observation parallels other disease statistics that indicate greatest prevalence in the 33311 zip-code including pediatric asthma and diabetes. Conclusion. There is a demand for HIV/AIDS health initiatives within Broward County, specifically in the 33311 region. Further studies aimed at gaining insight into disease management and access to clinical support for this at-risk population are necessary. Grants. None.