Epidemiological Profile of AIds in Adolescents and Young Adults: Analysis of Data Between 2013 and 2023

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that compromises the immune system. When not adequately treated, HIV infection can progress to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the advanced stage of the disease. Since the first confirmed case in Brazil in 1982, multiple awareness campaigns have been carried out and, since 2018, the government has widely distributed drugs free of charge for pre-exposure (PrEP) and/or post-exposure (PEP) prophylaxis, thereby reducing infection rates. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological profile of AIDS in adolescents and young adults in Santa Catarina between 2013 and 2023, focusing on the evolution of reported cases and distribution by age group and sex. Retrospective, quantitative epidemiological study. Data were obtained from SINAN. AIDS cases recorded in the state of Santa Catarina between 2013 and 2023 were selected, considering individuals aged 15–34. Annual frequencies were tabulated and analyzed by year of diagnosis. Simple linear regression with Jamovi assessed statistical significance. From 2013 to 2023, 8,924 AIDS cases were reported among adolescents and young adults in Santa Catarina. The annual mean was 811.27, with the highest concentration in 2015 (1,005). There was a decline in annual cases between 2013 (941) and 2023 (759), although with fluctuations over the time series. Regression showed a decreasing trend with R² = 0.631 and statistical significance (p = 0.004), suggesting an estimated annual reduction of 28.7 cases. Most notifications were among those aged 20–34, with male predominance. The decline observed may largely be attributed to implementation of PrEP and/or PEP, whose availability through SUS is considered a milestone in Brazil’s HIV response. Study limitations include use of secondary data, subject to underreporting, and not accounting for population growth. This reinforces the importance of continued actions in education, testing, active case-finding, and public policies targeting adolescents and young adults.