Black-White and Country of Birth Disparities in Retention in HIV Care and Viral Suppression among Latinos with HIV in Florida, 2015

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 14; no. 2; p. 120
• Main Authors: Sheehan, Diana M, Mauck, Daniel E, Fennie, Kristopher P, Cyrus, Elena A, Maddox, Lorene M, Lieb, Spencer, Trepka, Mary Jo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 27.01.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; African Americans - statistics & numerical data; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; AIDS; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral drugs; Birth; Black people; Central America - ethnology; Country of birth; Disease control; Disease transmission; Drug use; Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data; Epidemiology; Ethnic Groups - statistics & numerical data; Ethnicity; European Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Female; Florida - epidemiology; Florida - ethnology; Health disparities; Health risks; Healthcare Disparities - ethnology; Healthcare Disparities - statistics & numerical data; Hispanic Americans; Hispanic Americans - statistics & numerical data; HIV; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - ethnology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Male; Mexico - ethnology; Middle Aged; Neighborhoods; Postal codes; Public health; Race; Residence Characteristics - statistics & numerical data; Retention; Risk Factors; Risk management; Socioeconomic Factors; Studies; Subgroups; Viral Load - drug effects; Young Adult; Washington DC; Central America; Mexico; Florida; United States > US; racial disparities; human immunodeficiency virus; viral suppression; birth country disparities; Latinos; retention in HIV care
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14020120

The study's purpose was to identify HIV, Black-White race, and birth country disparities in retention in HIV care and HIV viral load (VL) suppression among Latinos, in 2015. Florida's surveillance data for Latinos diagnosed with HIV (2000-2014) were merged with American Community Survey data. Multi-level (random effects) models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for non-retention in care and non-viral load suppression. Blacks and Whites experienced similar odds of non-retention in care. Racial differences in VL suppression disappeared after controlling for neighborhood factors. Compared to U.S.-born Latinos, those born in Mexico (retention aOR 2.00, 95% CI 1.70-2.36; VL 1.85, 95% CI 1.57-2.17) and Central America (retention aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.53; VL 1.28, 95% CI 1.12-2.47) were at an increased risk after controlling for individual and neighborhood factors. Among Central Americans, those born in Guatemala (retention aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.80-3.18; VL 2.20, 95% CI 1.66-2.92) and Honduras (retention aOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.13-1.72; VL 1.42, 95% CI 1.16-1.74) experienced the largest disparities, when compared to U.S.-born Latinos. Disparities in care and treatment exist within the Latino population. Cultural and other factors, unique to Latino Black-White racial and birth country subgroups, should be further studied and considered for intervention.