Editorial on Mortality

Campa A,Baum Mk,Martinez Ss

doi:10.21767/2471-853x.100039

Abstract

Dramatic declines in HIV-related mortality have been achieved by increasing access to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Western countries; however, when pooled mortality rates from people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide are compared with those of the general population, PLWH are 15 times more likely to experience early death. In Miami-Dade County, where the use of cocaine is frequent among PLWH and the incidence of HIV is the highest in the United States, cocaine use has been associated with increased mortality in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort. Cocaine use was associated with, HIV-related mortality and cardio-pulmonary deaths, the two main causes of death in this report.

Highlights

Florida International University, R Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, 11200 SW 8 Street, Room AHC-5 328, Miami, Florida 33199, USA
The results from the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort suggest that cocaine use may precipitate death in this population through behavioral and biological effects [5,6,7,8,9,10]
Drug users tend to present for HIV testing late in the disease, when symptoms are already apparent [6], they miss treatment appointments more frequently and have decreased adherence to treatment and higher HIV viral load they are more exposed to rapid HIV disease progression and death [7, 8]

Summary

Introduction

Florida International University, R Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, 11200 SW 8 Street, Room AHC-5 328, Miami, Florida 33199, USA. The results from the MASH cohort suggest that cocaine use may precipitate death in this population through behavioral and biological effects [5,6,7,8,9,10]. Behavioral factors such as engaging in illegal and addictive drug use will lessen the possibility of early HIV testing, and reduce the potential for accessing and adhering to antiretroviral treatment.

Results

Conclusion