Estudio transversal sobre las características clínicas y epidemiológicas de la infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en gitanos y otras minorías en Bilbao

BACKGROUND: The health status and needs of gypsies have been insufficiently studied. PATIENTS AND METHOD: We studied the clinicoepidemiological characteristics of all HIV-1 infected patients attending in our outpatients clinic and hospitalized who were classified according to their ethnic origin as <>, <> (Caucasian non-gypsy Spanish natives) or <>. RESULTS: Overall, there were 563 patients out of 674 previously appointed (83%). Intravenous drug use (IVDU) was the HIV acquisition mechanism in 70%, 95% and 25% (p < 0.000) and attendance was considered regular in 89%, 48% and 89% payos, gypsies and immigrants (p < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: IVDU as the HIV transmission mechanism and lower clinic attendance rates were the most relevant differences observed between gypsy and payo subjects.