Epidemiological characteristics of HIV/AIDS among youths aged 15-24 years in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from 2018 to 2022

Gao Baicheng; Fan Mengguang; Gao Ya; Yang Hong; Liu Jing; Yang Jingyuan

doi:10.11986/j.issn.1673-873X.2024.S2.04

Abstract：Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of HIV/AIDS among youths aged 15-24 years in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and to provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted HIV prevention and control strategies for this population.Methods Data on newly reported HIV/AIDS cases among youths aged 15-24 years from 2018 to 2022 were downloaded from the infectious disease surveillance module of the China Disease Control and Prevention Information System.Statistical analysis was performed after data collation.Results The annual number of newly reported HIV/AIDS cases among youths aged 15-24 years in Inner Mongolia showed minor fluctuations but an overall downward trend from 2018 to 2022,with a 25.3%decrease compared to 2018.Male youths accounted for 93.2%of all new HIV/AIDS cases in this age group,with a male-to-female ratio of 13.7:1.Furthermore,the proportion of female cases increased annually(χ2 trend=4.06,P=0.04).Occupational distribution was dominated by housekeeping workers/unemployed indi-viduals(40.5%)and students(30.5%),with the proportion of students showing an upward trend(χ2 trend=4.32,P=0.04).Most HIV/AIDS cases were unmarried(97.4%),of Han(77.6%)or Mongolian ethnicity(19.7%),and had jun-ior college or higher education(54.4%).The primary transmission route was male-to-male sexual contact(67.7%).Most cases were identified through testing of other clinical attendees(27.0%).Chi-square tests(P>0.05)revealed no statisti-cally significant differences in the distributions of marital status,ethnicity,education level,transmission routes,or sample sources among newly reported cases over the five-year span.Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that youths in eastern and central parts of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were more likely to have progressed to AIDS at the time of diagnosis compared to those in western regions.Conclusion The number of HIV/AIDS cases among youths aged 15-24 years in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region showed a notable decline for the first time in 2022.While men who have sex with men remain the predominant group,the proportion of female cases is rising annually.Strengthened surveillance,testing,and targeted health education for young women are urgently needed.