AUTHOR=dos Anjos Thiago Augusto Ferreira , David Ana Paula Ferreira , Silva Ruth Stephany Costa , de Sousa Bispo Sebastião Kauã , da Silva Bruna Labibe Amin , de Almeida Adson Lucas Ferreira , Figueira Luiza Raquel Tapajós , Silva Marcos Jessé Abrahão , Sardinha Daniele Melo , da Silva Lilian Cristina Santos sinfronio , Marinho Rebecca Lobato , dos Santos Everaldina Cordeiro , Lima Luana Nepomuceno Gondim Costa 

TITLE=AIDS in the Brazilian Amazon: epidemiological trends and disparities across states

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1631596

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2025.1631596

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), remains a major public health problem in Brazil. Infection rates vary greatly between regions and states. The North region, in particular, has a higher number of cases, making it a long-lasting challenge, especially in a region with many social and economic challenges. This ecological, descriptive, and analytical study examined AIDS trends across Northern Brazilian states from 2013 to 2023 using data from Brazil’s Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), Mortality Information System (SIM) and national HIV/AIDS epidemiological reports. Our R-based analytical approach incorporated descriptive statistics, Joinpoint regression, linear modeling (calculating trend coefficients, determination coefficients, and p-values with significance at p < 0.05), plus heatmap clustering with dendrograms to evaluate inter-state rate patterns. Spatial variation analysis revealed distinct epidemiological patterns: four states (Amazonas, Amapá, Tocantins, and Rondônia) showed declining detection rates, while Acre experienced a concerning >90% increase despite stable mortality rates. These findings emphasize important groups of cases and identify which states should prioritize public health efforts. This information can assist in more effectively allocating resources to areas with the most cases.