HIV prevalence and factors associated with HIV positivity among Black people in primary care in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2020-2022: a cross-sectional study

Prevalencia del VIH y factores asociados a la positividad entre personas de raza negra en atención primaria en Porto Alegre, Brasil, 2020-2022: estudio transversal

Objective  To examine HIV prevalence among primary care service users and to investigate factors associated with positive HIV test results among Black people.

Methods  This was a cross-sectional study with data from rapid HIV testing performed in health centers in Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil. Sociodemographic differences according to race/skin color and HIV test result were analyzed using the Chi-square test and Poisson regression with robust variance.

Results  Out of 92,345 people tested, 38% were Black, with 3.4% HIV prevalence. Among Black people the following were associated with higher HIV prevalence ratios (PR): being male (PR 1.62; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.41; 1.85), having elementary education (PR 1.69; 95%CI 1.27; 2.24), having tuberculosis (PR 1.76; 95%CI 1.22; 2.54) and being a street dweller (PR 1.75; 95%CI 1.41; 2.18).

Conclusion  Black people, especially Black men with lower education levels, tuberculosis and street dwellers, have higher HIV prevalence, requiring greater attention from prevention strategies and testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Keywords
Sexually Transmitted Diseases; HIV Infections; Black People; Health of Ethnic Minorities; Cross-Sectional Studies