|
Forms of Transmission |
||
| Home |
IDU The infection rate among Hispanics and Blacks are notably higher for these areas than for Whites; Blacks being the highest rate. The only correlation among race and infection is among Blacks, there is a correlation rate of |0.910| (Ref. Table 2), almost double the needed number for a significant correlation (Note: a significant correlation value must be ≥ |0.553|). Looking at the transmission rates for both IDU and different races, a correlation was expected among IDU and Blacks and IDU and Hispanics. Surprisingly, there was not a significant correlation between IDU infections and the AIDS rate for Hispanic, the rate is |0.442| (Ref. Table 4). Not surprisingly, the correlation between IDU and Whites is very low, |0.015| (Ref Table 3), while the correlation for Blacks and IDU is |0.820| (Ref Table 6), making it a significant correlation. The value for the White population is not surprising; the greatest percent for Whites diagnosed is 1.05% (Ref Table 3), a low number compared to the greatest percent for the Black population of 4.24% (Ref Table 2). Next, a connection between race and education was looked at as a possible explanation for the correlation between IDU transmission and Black infections.
MSM Knowing that IDU is the most common form of transmission, correlations among MSM transmission were unexpected, except among white men. The value between infected white men and MSM transmission is only |0.349| (Ref Table 7), making it insignificant. This was expected to be the most likely form of transmission for white men because 51.67% (Ref Table 3) of the white population lives in 10025, the zip code with the highest median income ($49,733) (Ref Table 5), and therefore probably less likely to use needle drugs. However, among black men there is a correlation with a value of |0.800| (Ref Table 7). This high correlation may be due in part to felony arrests in New York City. While zip code information is not available, in 2006 30.68% of all the 99,099 (Ref Table 13) dispositions were for drug users in New York City. Seeing as the IDU transmission rate is so high and a large portion of arrests were due to drugs, the correlation between MSM infections and black men is reasonable, yet unexpected.
|