HIV-mortality trends in the regions of Russian Federation

Abstract

Background. In the beginning of 2000s infectious mortality in Russian regions was predominantly determined by socially significant diseases i.e. TB, hepatitis and HIV. Over 20-year period contribution of HIV to mortality within the class «Certain infectious and parasitic diseases» increased multi-fold and it moved to the top of ranking. According to experts’ opinion, accelerated increase of mortality from HIV in the second decade of XXI century was partly conditioned by peculiarities of registration of death causes as well as insufficient antiretroviral coverage in Russian regions.Objective. Identification of trends and features of the dynamics of mortality from HIV/AIDS in certain age groups in the subjects of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods. Analysis of mortality indicators in Russian regions was conducted using official statistics of Rosstat and Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare for 2000–2021. Method of direct ranking was applied to analyze mortality from HIV-associated causes.Results and discussion. According to official statistics, mortality from HIV-associated causes has reached its peak values in 2018. Analysis of gender differences shows that mortality in males is twice higher than in females. There are substantial differences in regional levels of mortality from HIV-associated causes. The highest mortality levels from those causes were registered in several regions of Siberia and Urals.Conclusion. The study results show that Kemerovo region is the most unfavourable in terms of HIV-mortality. In 2021, the indicator estimated 50.4 per 100,000 that is nearly 5-fold higher than the country’s average. The number of HIV deaths in Kemerovo region was higher than cumulative number of deaths from external causes (alcohol poisonings, suicides, homicides, drownings and transport injuries). High levels of mortality from HIV were also registered in Perm territory (32.3), Irkutsk (32.2), Novosibirsk (27.5) and Sverdlovsk (26.4) regions.