HIV Prevalence among Aboriginal British Columbians

CONTEXT: There is considerable concern about the spread of HIV disease among Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the number of Aboriginal British Columbians infected with HIV. DESIGN AND SETTING: A population-based analysis of Aboriginal men and women in British Columbia, Canada from 1980 to 2001. PARTICIPANTS: Epidemic curves were fit for gay and bisexual men, injection drug users, men and women aged 15 to 49 years and persons over 50 years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV prevalence for the total Aboriginal population was modeled using the UNAIDS/WHO Estimation and Projection Package (EPP). Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate potential number infected for select transmission group in 2001. RESULTS: A total of 170,025 Aboriginals resided in British Columbia in 2001, of whom 69% were 15 years and older. Of these 1,691 (range 1,479 – 1,955) men and women aged 15 years and over were living with HIV with overall prevalence ranging from 1.26% to 1.66%. The majority of the persons infected were men. Injection drug users (range 1,202 – 1,744) and gay and bisexual men (range 145, 232) contributed the greatest number of infections. Few persons infected were from low risk populations. CONCLUSION: More than 1 in every 100 Aboriginals aged 15 years and over was living with HIV in 2001. Culturally appropriate approaches are needed to tailor effective HIV interventions to this community.