INTRODUCTION: Women are being diagnosed with HIV infection in increasing numbers, and now account for 50% of cases worldwide. In Cuba, HIV is more frequent in men, but in recent years, a growing number of women have been diagnosed. OBJECTIVE: Describe patterns of HIV among women in Havana, Cuba, 1986-2011. METHODS: Descriptive study of women with HIV aged >14 years, residents of Havana, Cuba, who were diagnosed with HIV from 1 January 1986 through 31 December 2011. Information was obtained from the limited-access HIV/AIDS database of Cuba's Ministry of Public Health. Data were studied from all reported cases, a total of 1274 women. Variables selected were age at diagnosis, education, municipality of residence, screening group, year of HIV diagnosis, late presentation, AIDS-defining condition, year of diagnosis as AIDS case, vital status at the end of 2011, and year of death (if applicable). Incidence of HIV and AIDS, cumulative incidence by municipality of residence, and case fatality rates were calculated. RESULTS: Those aged 20-29 years were most affected by HIV. Almost half (46.7%) the women had completed middle school, and a further 35.4% had completed high school or middle-level technical studies. HIV incidence began to increase more steeply starting in 1998, as did AIDS incidence by year of diagnosis, though to a lesser extent. Central Havana and Old Havana municipalities had the highest cumulative incidence. Late presentation was seen in 7.4% of cases; mean age of those diagnosed late was 38.9 years. Wasting syndrome and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia were the most frequent AIDS-defining conditions. Case fatality rates started to decline in 1998. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection in women is occurring in a predominantly young, relatively well-educated population. Increasing rates of HIV and AIDS in the past decade are a warning sign of the possible expansion of HIV infection in women, even though mortality is declining.

A retrospective and descriptive study on HIV/AIDS female population was carried out in Havana City from 1986 to December 2006. An increase in the rates of incidence per year in relation to HIV/AIDS and AIDS case were evidenced. The most affected age group was from 20 to 24 years. The clinical debut became evident in 3, 7% and the average time between the HIV diagnostic and AIDS case was 4 years. The wasting syndrome and the lung tuberculosis were the most frequent indicative illnesses of AIDS.

Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo de la población VIH/SIDA femenina de Ciudad Habana desde 1986 hasta diciembre del 2006. Se evidenció un incremento en las tasas de incidencia de VIH/SIDA y de caso SIDA por año. El grupo de edad más afectado fue de 20 a 24 años. El debut clínico se presentó en 3,7 % y el tiempo promedio entre el diagnóstico de VIH y caso SIDA fue 4 años. El síndrome de desgaste y la tuberculosis pulmonar fueron las enfermedades marcadoras de SIDA más frecuentemente encontradas.

A retrospective, descriptive and observational study was conducted to know the features of HIV/AIDS female population of Ciudad de La Habana from January, 1986 to December, 2006. There was an increase in HIV/AIDS incidence rates by diagnosis/year from 1998. Age groups more involved were from 20 to 24 and from 15 to 19 years. Habana Vieja municipality has the higher incidence.

Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo retrospectivo con la finalidad de conocer las características epidemiológicas de la población VIH/SIDA femenina de Ciudad de la Habana desde de enero de 1986 hasta diciembre de 2006. Se evidenció un incremento en las tasas de incidencia de VIH/SIDA por año de diagnóstico, a partir de 1998. Los grupos de edades más afectados fueron los de 20 a 24 y 15 a 19 años. El municipio Habana Vieja es el de mayor tasa de incidencia.

In the last years the number of women infected by the Virus of Human Inmunodeficiency has risen in all the regions of the world, affecting mainly those women in reproductive ages. Many different factors affect on the great vulnerability in women: biological factors, as the mucous surface and the biggest viral concentrations they are exposed to, as well as socio-cultural and economic factors such as the social role that women assume in couple's relationship and the unequal opportunities that each society offers them.

En los últimos años, el número de mujeres infectadas por el Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana se ha elevado en todas las regiones del mundo, afectando principalmente a aquéllas en edades reproductivas. Múltiples factores inciden en la mayor vulnerabilidad de las mujeres: factores biológicos, como la superficie mucosa y las mayores concentraciones virales a las que son expuestas, así como factores socio-culturales y económicos, tales como las funciones sociales que asumen las mujeres en la relación de pareja y las desiguales oportunidades que les brinda cada sociedad.