1998 January Australian HIV Surveillance Report

The Australian HIV Surveillance Report has been published on a quarterly basis from July 1990. Reports published from January 1994 are available below. Each report includes article(s) on topics of general interest in the epidemiology of HIV and related infections updates on the number of cases of newly diagnosed HIV infection and AIDS in Australia estimates of HIV incidence and prevalence among people seen through a network of sexual health clinics in Australia.

The Australian HIV Surveillance Update provides a brief summary of HIV and AIDS diagnoses in the most recent quarter, the most recent year and cumulative counts. The Australian HIV Surveillance Update was published separately prior to the July 2000 issue of the Australian HIV Surveillance Report. Updates post April 2000 are included in the Australian HIV Surveilance Report.

Key findings
  • A project monitoring HIV prevalence and incidence, and injecting and sexual behaviours, among people who inject drugs has now completed three annual rounds of data collection at selected needle and syringe exchange programs (NSEP) throughout Australia.
  • The survey was carried out in March 1995 (21 sites), June 1996 (20 sites) and October 1997 (23 sites). Completed questionnaires with blood samples suitable for HIV antibody testing were provided by 979 (41%), 1,453 (54%) and 1,706 (55%) injecting drug users (IDU) in 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively.
  • In all three surveys approximately 65% of respondents were men. The median age of respondents was 29 years (range 14-54), 28 years (range 14-53) and 27 years (range 15-58) in 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively.
  • Approximately 80% of respondents described themselves as heterosexual, 11% as bisexual and 6% as homosexual in the three surveys; sexual preference was not reported by 3% of respondents.
  • HIV prevalence was low (2%, 1.7% and 1.6% in 1995, 1996 and 1997) except among males who also reported homosexual contact (24% in 1995, 27% in 1996 and 31% in 1997).
1998 January Australian HIV Surveillance Report 434.84 KB pdf
Year published
1998
Report type
Australian HIV Surveillance Reports (quarterly)
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