The study included more than 9,000 heterosexual adults between the ages of 18 and 50 in 23 high-poverty cities, who took part in the heterosexual cycle of CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System in 2006-2007. The system monitors HIV risk behaviors, testing patterns and prevention services among U.S. populations at risk. The data was aggregated, therefore, no city-specific information is available, explained Mermin.

"These findings have significant implications for how we think about HIV prevention. This study shows that we can't look at HIV in isolation from the environment in which people live and it points to an urban need to prioritize HIV prevention efforts in economically disadvantaged communities," said Murmin.


Yesterday's release of the study follows last week's announcement of the national HIV/AIDS strategy by the Obama administration. Dr. Kevin Fenton, the director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention for the CDC, emphasized the need to address the structural, environmental and social risk factors that drive the HIV epidemic.

"I'm hoping that with the clear direction and commitment from the president to refocus on the HIV epidemic in the United States and with the framework, which has been articulated in the national HIV/AIDS strategy, there will be more support for further studies that can characterize these relationships but also better federal partnerships to address some of the socioeconomic factors which may be driving the epidemic," said Fenton in a call with reporters.

The study was released at the XVIII International AIDS Conference, which is taking place from July 18 to 23 in Vienna, Austria.

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