Module 3: Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among Native Communities

Goal of Module 3:
To help you identify how and why HIV/AIDS spreads in your Native community in order to strengthen your intervention.

Epidemiology is the study of the ways in which a disease progresses through a population. In order to plan and carry out an effective intervention, you must understand how and why people in your community become infected with and spread HIV.

In this module, you will find:

  • an article on epidemiology as it relates to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians
  • Fast Facts that offer useful statistics and information
  • Fact Sheets that offer statistics for specific Native populations
  • resources for further research on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS
  • exercises that provide steps toward learning about epidemiology in your community

 
Contents 2b Reported AIDS Cases among AI/ANs
by Transmission Category, Cumulative through 2005
1.

Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS among AI/AN/NHs:


2. Fast Facts about the Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS for AI/AN/NHs:
3. Fact Sheets
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Alaska
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Arizona
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in California
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in Minnesota
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in New Mexico
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in New York
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in North Carolina
 

HIV/AIDS among AI/ANs in Oklahoma
 

HIV/AIDS among Native Americans in Washington
4. Finding Data
4a. Resources
4b. Module 3 Exercises

The modes of exposure for HIV vary between Native males and females. For males, the primary mode of exposure is male-sex-with-males (MSM), or a combination of MSM and injection drug use (IDU). For females, injection drug use is the primary mode of disease transmission, followed by heterosexual contact.  Individuals without a known exposure risk are categorized as “other.” These are likely to be heterosexual exposures that cannot be tracked. 26

 

 

26 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 2005 (Vol. 17). Rev ed. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC; 2007.