Racial/ethnic differences in HIV diagnosis rates among women by census tract poverty level in Georgia, 2018–2021
Abstract
Background
In 2021, Georgia had the second highest HIV diagnosis rate among women. Studies show that Hispanic/Latina and Black women had HIV diagnosis rates 3 and 15 times the rate of White women, were highest in high poverty areas, and increased 1.5 to 5.5 times as census tract poverty levels increased. This study examined the association between census tract poverty and HIV diagnosis rates by race/ethnicity among women in Georgia.
Methods
Women diagnosed 2018–2021 whose residence at HIV diagnosis could be geocoded to a census tract from Georgia’s enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System were included. Population data was obtained from the 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Percent of people whose income in the past 12 months was below the poverty level from the ACS was categorized as 0.0–6.9%, 7.0–10.9%, 11.0–17.9%, 18.0–24.9%, ≥25.0%. Diagnosis rates per 100,000 were calculated for each poverty category by race/ethnicity. Rate ratios were used to compare racial/ethnic differences by poverty category.
Results
Among 1,747 women, 75.3% were Black and 29.8% lived in census tracts ≥25.0% below the poverty level. Diagnosis rates increased as poverty level increased among all women, by race/ethnicity, and were highest among Black women and in the ≥25.0% poverty category. Rate ratios decreased as poverty increased when comparing Black to White women (4.6 in 0.0–6.9% vs. 3.2 in ≥25.0%).
Conclusion
Diagnosis rates were highest in the ≥25.0% poverty category and among Black women (75.3% of the study population), while this group made up only 36.7% of the Georgia population in 2021 by race/ethnicity. In the ≥25.0% poverty category, Black women had 3.2 times the rate of HIV diagnosis than White women. Rates were sometimes affected by small numbers. Census tract poverty is useful to identify areas needing additional testing/prevention efforts or social support to reduce HIV diagnoses.
Keywords: HIV, women, poverty, race/ethnicity
Keywords
HIV, women, poverty, race/ethnicity
Racial/ethnic differences in HIV diagnosis rates among women by census tract poverty level in Georgia, 2018–2021
Background
In 2021, Georgia had the second highest HIV diagnosis rate among women. Studies show that Hispanic/Latina and Black women had HIV diagnosis rates 3 and 15 times the rate of White women, were highest in high poverty areas, and increased 1.5 to 5.5 times as census tract poverty levels increased. This study examined the association between census tract poverty and HIV diagnosis rates by race/ethnicity among women in Georgia.
Methods
Women diagnosed 2018–2021 whose residence at HIV diagnosis could be geocoded to a census tract from Georgia’s enhanced HIV/AIDS Reporting System were included. Population data was obtained from the 2017–2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Percent of people whose income in the past 12 months was below the poverty level from the ACS was categorized as 0.0–6.9%, 7.0–10.9%, 11.0–17.9%, 18.0–24.9%, ≥25.0%. Diagnosis rates per 100,000 were calculated for each poverty category by race/ethnicity. Rate ratios were used to compare racial/ethnic differences by poverty category.
Results
Among 1,747 women, 75.3% were Black and 29.8% lived in census tracts ≥25.0% below the poverty level. Diagnosis rates increased as poverty level increased among all women, by race/ethnicity, and were highest among Black women and in the ≥25.0% poverty category. Rate ratios decreased as poverty increased when comparing Black to White women (4.6 in 0.0–6.9% vs. 3.2 in ≥25.0%).
Conclusion
Diagnosis rates were highest in the ≥25.0% poverty category and among Black women (75.3% of the study population), while this group made up only 36.7% of the Georgia population in 2021 by race/ethnicity. In the ≥25.0% poverty category, Black women had 3.2 times the rate of HIV diagnosis than White women. Rates were sometimes affected by small numbers. Census tract poverty is useful to identify areas needing additional testing/prevention efforts or social support to reduce HIV diagnoses.
Keywords: HIV, women, poverty, race/ethnicity
