Comparisons of trends in antiretroviral use and HIV notification rates between three Australian States

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Notification rates for HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) have been increasing, but this increase has not been uniform across States and Territories. This paper aims to determine whether differences in the levels of antiretroviral therapy (ART) were associated with differences in HIV notification rates between Australian States. METHODS: An ecological analysis of HIV notification and S100 drug prescribing data between 1998 and 2005. MAIN RESULTS: HIV notification rates in 2005 per 100 individuals living with HIV were lowest in New South Wales (NSW) (4.5) and higher in Victoria (6.9) and Queensland (7.8). The proportion of individuals receiving ART in 2005 was lowest in NSW ..