HIV/AIDS Mortality Trends in Lang Son, Vietnam: Insights from a Population-Based Mortality Registration from 2005 to 2018

TL;DR

This study examines a significant decline in HIV/AIDS deaths in Lang Son, Vietnam from 2005 to 2018, but finds ongoing gender disparities.

Contribution

The study provides population-based mortality trends and gender-specific insights for HIV/AIDS in a specific Vietnamese province.

Findings

HIV/AIDS-related deaths in Lang Son decreased by 94% from 2005 to 2018.

Mortality rates remained higher for men compared to women during the study period.

Significant gender disparities persist despite the overall decline in mortality.

Abstract

The HIV epidemic remains a major public health issue globally and in Vietnam. This study assesses changes in HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates over time in Lang Son Province, Vietnam, from 2005–2018. We performed a descriptive epidemiological study using a population-based mortality registration system to examine HIV/AIDS-related mortality. HIV/AIDS-related mortality was converted to a crude and adjusted rate per 100,000 person-years using the World Health Organization’s standard population for 2000–2025. The mortality rate ratio and 95% confidence interval were estimated to examine the province’s time trend from 2005 to 2018. The adjusted mortality rate for HIV/AIDS in Lang Son Province was 12.3 and 2.4 per 100,000 for men and women, respectively, with a male-to-female ratio of 5.1. The province experienced a 94% reduction in HIV/AIDS-related deaths between 2005 and 2018. The mortality rate ratio for 2018 compared to 2005 was lower for men (0.056, 95% CI: 0.029, 0.110) than for women (0.080, 95% CI: 0.019, 0.338). The findings show a gradual decline in HIV/AIDS-related mortality rates in Lang Son Province, Vietnam. However, significant gender disparities in mortality remain a major concern, and HIV remains a significant burden. This highlights the urgency for major efforts to prevent HIV transmission and address these disparities to effectively end the HIV epidemic in Lang Son and throughout Vietnam.

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