Border Report Section 2 – HIV, STDs, and TB in the Texas-Mexico Border Region

Texas shares the longest border with Mexico of any state in the U.S. Of 254 counties in Texas, 32 (12.6%) lie within 100 miles of the Texas-Mexico border (See Figure 1 below). This diverse region ranges from rural, sparsely populated counties to large urban areas such as El Paso. Due to unique demographic and geographic characteristics, the epidemiology of HIV, STDs, and TB along the Texas-Mexico border counties often differ from the rest of the state. For the purposes of this report, the Texas-Mexico border region is defined as any county having a border that lies within 100 miles of the Texas-Mexico border. This definition is used by the Ryan White HIV Program to designate geographic areas for receipt of funding. This report will compare health statistics for the Texas-Mexico border region with other designated Emerging Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs).
 

Figure 1. Counties in the Texas-Mexico Border Region

 

HIV, STDs, and TB in the Texas-Mexico Border Region