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HIV Incidence and Prevalence Among Aboriginal Peoples in Canada

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Abstract

We examined incidence, prevalence, and correlates of HIV infection in Aboriginal peoples in Canada and found that among most risk groups both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants showed similar levels of HIV prevalence. Aboriginal peoples who use illicit drugs were found to have higher HIV incidence and prevalence when compared to their non-Aboriginal drug-using peers. Aboriginal street youth and female sex workers were also found to have higher HIV prevalence. Among Aboriginal populations, correlates of HIV-positive sero-status include syringe sharing and frequently injecting drugs, as well as geographic and social factors such as living in Vancouver or having a history of non-consensual sex. This study is relevant to Canada and elsewhere, as Indigenous populations are disproportionately represented in the HIV epidemic worldwide.

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Acknowledgments

RSH and VL conceived and designed this review. KCD, AMB, MCM and WM analysed and interpreted the data. KCD, AMB, and MCM drafted the manuscript. RSH, JSGM, VL, AP, WM and CR critically revised the manuscript for content. All authors saw and approved the final manuscript. We are grateful to the Cedar Project Partnership, Eirikka Brandson, Steve Kanters, and Nadia O’Brien for their help with data acquisition, data quality and content editing. We thank the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) for its continuing support. KCD thanks the CIHR Translational Research in Infectious Disease grant for its support. VDL acknowledges the Michael Smith Foundation in Health Research and the CIHR for two fellowships. JSGM is supported by the Ministry of Health Services and the Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport, from the Province of British Columbia; through a Knowledge Translation Award from the CIHR; and through an Avant-Garde Award (No. 1DP1DA026182-01) from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, at the US National Institutes of Health. He also received funding from Merck, Gilead and ViiV to support research into Treatment as Prevention.

Conflict of Interest

KCD, CR, AMB, MCM, AP, WM, HS, VDL, JSGM, and RSH declare they have no conflict of interest.

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Correspondence to Robert S. Hogg.

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Duncan, K.C., Reading, C., Borwein, A.M. et al. HIV Incidence and Prevalence Among Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. AIDS Behav 15, 214–227 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-010-9792-y

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