Abstract: HIV/AIDS has become a serious threat in Texas among youths and teens, and will continue to grow as a problem unless action is taken to prevent the spread of the virus. From 2002-2008, the HIV rate among youths and teens, ages 13-24, increased 38%, from 14.2 per 100,000 to 19.6 per 100,000 (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2010). Using case data provided by the Texas State Department of Health Services, this paper seeks to understand the spatial distribution of HIV/AIDS morbidity among youths and teens ages 13-24 and the variables that are significantly related to the disease. De-identified data on HIV/AIDS for Texas counties from 1999-2008 provided by the Texas State Department of Health are used as the dependent variable. Explanatory variables for this research include: race/ethnicity, level of education, percent urban population, socioeconomic factors, and prevalence of unsafe sex, which is provided by the 2000 U.S. Bureau of the Census and the 2010 County Health Ranking Texas data (Population Health Institute, 2011). Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient is used for statistical analysis. The results suggest that race/ethnicity, level of education, percent urban population, unsafe sex, and socioeconomic factors are significant determinants of the HIV/AIDS rate among youths and teens in Texas counties. Higher HIV/AIDS rates tend to appear in counties with high percent Black population, high percent urban population, high chlamydia rates, high percentage of people with a bachelor’s degree or higher, and high percentage of single-parent households. HIV/AIDS rates are not uniformly distributed across Texas, therefore ascertaining the significant correlations with high rates of the disease will ensure effective targeting of interventions.
Eighth Annual University Scholars Day, 2011, Denton, Texas, United States.