Document 0684
 DOCN  M9650684
 TI    HIV/AIDS in Costa Rica: epidemiological and sociological features, 1993.
 DT    9605
 AU    Mata L; Ramirez G; Quesada J; Section of Infection/Nutrition, University
       of Costa Rica,; Guadalupe.
 SO    Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand). 1995;41 Suppl 1:S53-63. Unique
       Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96171635
 AB    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first detected in Costa
       Rica in 1983. For four years most known cases were in hemophiliac men.
       Thereafter, AIDS in homosexual and bisexual men predominated. By
       December 31 of 1993, 563 persons had been diagnosed with the syndrome,
       71% of them homosexual and bisexual men, 10% heterosexual men and women,
       6% hemophiliacs, 2% intravenous drug abusers (IVDA's), 2% women and men
       who had blood transfusions, 1.4% infants born to HIV-infected mothers
       and 7% unknown. The epidemics in homosexual/bisexual men and in
       heterosexual women and men are rising; cases in infants and in persons
       who received blood or coagulation factors, are stagnant. The steady
       increase in AIDS among women is linked to exposure to bisexual partners.
       The moderate nature of the national epidemic reflects, in part, the low
       incidence of IVDA, the universal screening of blood donors for
       antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) since 1985, and the
       prompt banning of unsafe coagulation factors. The projection of AIDS for
       the year 2000 is 2,304 cases (606 accumulated incidence per million
       inhabitants). A national educational campaign, radio and television
       programs and other preventive actions, apparently did not influence the
       rate of receptive anal intercourse without condom (about 80%) during 9
       years of the epidemic. Persons with HIV/AIDS often are deprived of
       social and medical benefits or are subjected to harassment and
       exploitation by the health sector. More efficient prevention must target
       children, adolescents and adults in reproductive age, to promote safer
       lifestyles, through education and counseling effected through primary
       health care.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Adolescence  Adult
       Americas/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Attitude to Health  Blood Coagulation Factors
       Blood Transfusion/ADVERSE EFFECTS  Child  Child, Preschool  Comorbidity
       Costa Rica/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Drug Contamination  Female  Health Education
       Hemophilia/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Human  Human Rights  HIV
       Infections/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/PREVENTION & CONTROL/TRANSMISSION  HIV
       Seroprevalence  Infant  Infant, Newborn  Male  Middle Age  Prisoners
       Prostitution  Risk Factors  Sex Behavior/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA
       Socioeconomic Factors  Substance Abuse, Intravenous/EPIDEMIOLOGY  Travel
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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