Sexual Health
Volume 6, Issue 2, 2009, Pages 123-128

The impact of immigration on the burden of HIV infection in Victoria, Australia (Article)

Horyniak D.* , Stoov́ M. , Yohannes K. , Breschkin A. , Carter T. , Hatch B. , Tomnay J. , Hellard M. , Guy R.
  • a Centre for Population Health, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
  • b Centre for Population Health, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
  • c Centre for Population Health, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
  • d Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, 10 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne, VIC 3051, Australia
  • e Victorian Department of Human Services, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
  • f Victorian Department of Human Services, 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia
  • g Centre of Excellence in Rural Sexual Health, School of Rural Health, University of Melbourne, 49 Graham Street, Shepparton, VIC 3630, Australia
  • h Centre for Population Health, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
  • i National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, 376 Victoria Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia

Abstract

Background: Accurate estimates of the number of people diagnosed and living with HIV infection within a health jurisdiction provide the basis for planning of clinical service provision. Case reporting of new diagnoses does not account for inwards and outwards migration of people with HIV infection, thereby providing an inaccurate basis for planning. Methods: The Victorian passive surveillance system records all cases of HIV diagnosed in Victoria and distinguishes between new Victorian diagnoses (cases whose first ever HIV diagnosis was in Victoria) and cases previously diagnosed interstate and overseas. In order to gain an understanding of the impact of population movement on the burden of HIV infection in Victoria, we compared the characteristics of people first diagnosed in Victoria with those previously diagnosed elsewhere. Results: Between 1994 and 2007 there were 3111 HIV notifications in Victoria, including 212 (7%) 'interstate diagnoses' and 124 (4%) 'overseas diagnoses'. The proportion of cases diagnosed outside Victoria increased from 6.4% between 1994 and 2000 to 13.8% between 2001 and 2007. Compared with 'new diagnoses', a larger proportion of 'interstate diagnoses' reported male-to-male sex as their HIV exposure, were Australian-born and diagnosed in Victoria at a general practice specialising in gay men's health. Compared with 'new diagnoses', a larger proportion of 'overseas diagnoses' were female, reported heterosexual contact as their HIV exposure, and were diagnosed in Victoria at a sexual health clinic. Conclusions: Between 1994 and 2007 more than 10% of Victorian HIV diagnoses were among people previously diagnosed elsewhere. Characteristics of both interstate and overseas diagnoses differed from new diagnoses. Service planning needs to be responsive to the characteristics of people moving to Victoria with previously diagnosed HIV infection. © 2009 CSIRO.

Author Keywords

Surveillance Migration

Index Keywords

general practice HIV Infections sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection Australia Population Surveillance human Health Behavior immigration health status Victoria men's health heterosexuality Humans male female Socioeconomic Factors primary prevention Risk Factors cost of illness population research prevalence Article Retrospective Studies Emigration and Immigration health center time health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-67649682534&doi=10.1071%2fSH08088&partnerID=40&md5=1d0f7f45e3c2d6bd2791d83e000d1493
DOI: 10.1071/SH08088
ISSN: 14485028
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English