SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION AND PREVALENCE OF HIV BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN SERGIPE, BRAZIL

Objective: This study aimed to determine the occurrence of - HIV in the state of Sergipe, Brazil during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods of COVID-19, from 2017–2019 to 2020–2022. Methods: An ecological, analytical study was conducted using data from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) of the Sergipe Stat Health Department (2017–2022). Sociodemographic variables were analyzed based on frequencies, chi-square tests, and Cramér’s V. HIV prevalence rates per 100,000 inhabitants and prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Spatial analysis employed methods such as K-means clustering, Bayesian smoothing, Moran’s I, LISA, and spatial scan statistics. Data were organized in Excel and analyzed using R software (v4.4.2), with a 5% significance level. Results: Between 2020 and 2022, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a general reduction in HIV rates compared to 2017–2019, especially among individuals aged 20 to 39, of both sexes, with the sharpest reductions among White and/Asian populations. Changes related to education level and pregnancy status were minimal. In the pre-pandemic period, the municipalities with the highest concentration of cases were Aracaju, Nossa Senhora do Socorro, and São Cristóvão. Spatial analysis identified a high-risk cluster for HIV infection involving Aracaju, Barra dos Coqueiros, Socorro, and São Cristóvão, present in both study periods. Conclusion: Despite numerical stability, HIV remains insufficiently controlled, with many undiagnosed and untreated cases. These findings provide insights into the sociodemographic and spatial factors influencing the spread of the disease in Sergipe.