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Hiv-Aids

Volume 298: debated on Tuesday 22 July 1997

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To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new HIV infections there have been among (a) intravenous drug users, (b) heterosexuals and (c) homosexuals in the age groups (1) 16 to 25, (2) 26 to 35, (3) 36 to 45, (4) 46 to 55 and (5) over 55s by health authority (i) each year since 1985 and (ii) in total; if he will list the year on year change in each group in percentage terms; and if he will make a statement about the Government's targeting of HIV-AIDS prevention materials. [9221]

[holding answer Monday 21 July 1997]: Information about diagnosed HIV infections in Scotland is held in the transmission categories and age groups shown in table 1. Individuals often do not seek testing unless they believe themselves to be at risk or develop symptoms and hence reported HIV infections underestimate the true number of cases. In addition, these figures may be subject to under-reporting.The figures are given on an all-Scotland basis because presenting data by health boards may threaten confidentiality in low prevalence areas. Table 2 shows the year on year change in each group in percentage terms.The Government's targeting of HIV-AIDS prevention materials is in line with the UK health Departments' Strategy, "HIV and AIDS Health Promotion: An Evolving Strategy", November 1995. This emphasised the need for better targeting of vulnerable groups such as gay men, as well as the need to inform the general population about the continuing potential risks from HIV.In Scotland, recent data indicate that new infections among gay men remain the highest of all transmission categories. In line with the strategy, The Scottish Office Department of Health is funding a project involving prevention work for gay men in Scotland. In addition to work aimed at the general population, The Health Education Authority carry out a limited amount of prevention work UK-wide targeted at gay and bisexual men. HIV-AIDS is one of the priority areas for the Health Education Board for Scotland; and its work at national level is complemented by the local activities of health boards.

Table 1: HIV reports, Scotland by transmission category, age group at report, and year of report—1985 to 1996

Transmission category

Age group

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

Injecting drug use0–4000000
15–2488143106313218
25–34608057301413
35–448128544
45–54000000
55+001000
Not known563100
Total161241175675035
Sexual intercourse between men and women0–14000000
15–241485915
25–3401510181014
35–44005757
45–54000022
55+000102
Not Known011000
Total12024312640
Sexual intercourse between men0–14000000
15–241923191477
25–34333126222426
35–4414111681020
45–54664353
55+111021
Not known121000
Total747467474857
Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)0–141537033
15–24541220
25–34442325
35–44511120
45–54111010
55+111010
Not known111000
Total3215146108
Total0–141537033
15–24113174134525040
25–349713095735058
35–44272430212131
45–54775375
55+223133
Not known7106100
Total268350280151134140

Transmission category

Age group

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

Totals 1985–96

Injecting drug use0–140000000
15–24121416231466
25–34311934141821391
35–4466596578
45–541011036
55+0000001
Not known00000015
Total3039562627307957
Sexual intercourse between men and women0–140000000
15–24813770885
25–34192324252221201
35–448462251483
45–5444327428
55+32133116
Not known0000002
Total424641395748415

Transmission category

Age group

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

Totals 1985–96
Sexual intercourse between men0–140000000
15–24103108512137
25–34232938374031360
35–44191820252826215
45–54975861274
55+34131321
Not known0000004
Total646174818084811
Other(e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undermined)0–1460324046
15–2401012018
25–3402013531
35–4411202218
45–5420122111
55+0001016
Not known0000003
Total9467139133
Total0–1460324046
15–24303133181021706
25–34737396778378983
35–44342933366147394
45–54161110131520119
55+66274544
Not known00000024
Total1651501771531771712,316

Table 2: Percentage change from previous year

Transmission category

Age group

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

Injecting drug use0–14
15–24563-26-713-44
25–3410733-29-47-53-7
35–446050-33-38-200
45–54
55+-100
Not known6720-50-67-100
Total3350-27-62-25-30
Sexual intercourse between men and women0–14
15–24-50300100-388067
25–34-100-3380-4440
35–4440-2940
45–540
55+-100
Not known0100
Total-671,9002029-1654
Sexual intercourse between men0–14
15–2453321-17-26-500
25–34560-6-16-1598
35–441,300-2145-5025100
45–545000-33-2567-40
55+00-100-50
Not known100-50-100
Total6400-9-30219
Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)0–14400-80133-1000
15–2467-20-751000-100
25–34-430-5050-33150
35–44-58-8000100-100
45–54-6700-100
55+00-100-100
Not known00-100
Total14-53-7-5767-20

Table 2:Percentage change from previous year

Transmission category

Age group

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

Total0–14400-80133-1000
15–242354-23-61-4-20
25–3413134-27-23-3216
35–4450-1125-30048
45–54750-29-40133-29
55+050-672000
Nor known13343-40-83-100
Total6531-28-46-114

Note:

A dash denotes that there were no cases reported during the previous year.

Source:

Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (as at 30 June 1997).

Transmission category

Age group

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

Injecting drug use0–14
15–24-331714-8850-67
25–34138-39-79-592917
34–44500-1780-33-17
45–54-1000-100
55+
Not known
Total43-2244-54411
Sexual intercourse between men and women0–14
15–24-4763-480-100
25–34362144-12-5
35–4414-5050-671,150-44
45–541000-25-33250-43
55+50-33-502000-67
Not known
Total510-11-546-16
Sexual intercourse between men0–14
15–2443-70233-20-38140
25–34-122631-38-23
35–44-5-5112512-7
45–54200-22-2960-25100
55+20033-75200-67200
Not known
Total12-5219-15
Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)0–14100-100-33100-100
15–24-100100-100
25–34-100-10020067
35–440100-1000
45–54-1001000-50
55+-100
Not known
Total13-56501786-31
Total0–14100-100-33100-100
15–24-2536-45-44110
25–3420032-208-6
35–4410-1514969-23
45–54220-31-9301533
55+1000-67250-4325
Not known
Total18-918-1416-3

Note:

A dash denotes that there were no cases reported during the previous year.

Source:

Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (as at 30 June 1997).