Recorded presentation

Lisa B. Hightow, MD, MPH¹, Pia D. M. MacDonald, PhD, MPH², Christopher Pilcher, MD¹, Andrew Kaplan, MD³, Evelyn Foust, MPH⁴, Trang Quyen Nguyen, MPH⁵, and Peter A. Leone, MD⁶. (1) Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 130 Mason Farm Road, CB #7030, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, 919-966-2536, lisa_hightow@med.unc.edu, (2) Dept of Epidemiology / NC Center for Public Health Preparedness, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #8165, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (3) Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, 547 Burnett-Womack Bldg., CB# 7030, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, (4) NC Dept. of Health and Human Services; HIV/STD Prevention and Care Section, NC Dept. of Health and Human Services, Dept. of Epidemiology, PO Box 29601, Raleigh, NC 27626, (5) Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, CB# 7435, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7435, (6) School of Medicine, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Campus Box No. 7030, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Background: Approximately 16 million people are enrolled in institutions of higher learning in the United States. However, college students have not been perceived as at high risk for HIV infection. In early 2003, two males attending college in NC were diagnosed with acute HIV infection. We describe an epidemiologic investigation of newly diagnosed HIV infection in men attending college in NC. Methods: We reviewed state surveillance records examining new HIV diagnoses in males 18-30 years old during 1/1/2000-12/31/2003, living in 69 NC counties. Risk behavior and demographic information for HIV-infected males enrolled in college (CM) were compared with HIV-infected male non-enrollees (non-CM). Minimum new HIV infection rates were calculated for 5 colleges Results: Of the 735 records available for review, 84 (11%) were CM. 87% of CM were African American and 92% were MSM or MSM/W. Compared to non-CM, CM were more likely to be African-American (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.86-7.54) to report meeting sex partners at bars/dance clubs (OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.77-5.10), or on the Internet/chat lines (OR 4.95, 95% CI 2.53-9.64), or to report use of ecstasy/club drugs (OR 4.51, 95% CI 1.15-15.40). Newly diagnosed HIV was found in men in 37 colleges located in NC or surrounding states and a sexual partner network investigation linked 21 colleges, 61 students and 8 partners of students. Discussion: We describe an epidemic of HIV occurring in NC college students, primarily involving African American MSM and MSM/W. College students represent an at-risk, accessible population which deserves further HIV prevention interventions.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe an outbreak of HIV occuring in NC colleges.
• Identify risk factors associated with newly infected college students
• Prioritize activities for future prevention efforts with at risk college populations.

Keywords: Students, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation