Canadian study reveals trends in HIV infections

One way to identify methods of preventing HIV transmission is to evaluate which populations are most likely to be exposed to the disease and through what means they come in contact with it. Therefore, one aspect of the Project for an Ontario Women's Health Evidence-Based Report study is to determine how many females in the province are affected by HIV and how they can avoid contracting it.

The study's results showed that about 25 percent of new HIV infections in Ontario are reported among women. Of these individuals, a total of 93 percent were infected through sexual transmission and 7 percent by injection drug use. Furthermore, 60 percent of newly infected women were immigrants.

"We identified differences related to poverty, injection drug use, and geography. Our findings suggest that addressing such factors will be important for delivering universal, high-quality HIV care in Ontario," said lead researcher Ahmed Bayoumi.

One of the other investigators explained that the research team was pleased to find that 90 percent of HIV-infected pregnant women sought antiretroviral treatment to reduce their newborns' risk of contracting the disease. She said this indicated that organized and targeted care programs are effective.