Understanding of factors associated with HIV prevalence in South Africa: analysis of the antenatal clinic survey data
Date
2011-02-14
Authors
Dikgale, Makgoka Freck
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Abstract
Research Project Title: HIV Prevalence and Factors Associated with HIV
Infection in South Africa: Analysis of the Antenatal Clinic Survey Data.
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, the HIV epidemic is commonly
monitored through the sentinel surveillance of pregnant women attending
antenatal clinics (ANC), which provides important indications for planning and
evaluating public-health interventions.
Many of such surveillance systems in South Africa reported limited
information on factors associated with HIV infection, even though the survey
collected information related to a woman’s participation. This is likely to
compromise the development of effective preventive programmes that are
more focussed.
To address this, the 2005 HIV (ANC) surveillance data was used with the
objective of increasing the available information on the HIV epidemic in the
country and identifying the socio-demographic factors associated with HIV
infection in each province.
Methodology: The data from the 2005 ANC survey was analysed in depth.
The chi-square test was used to test bivariate associations for categorical
associations of HIV infection and other associated factors. In addition a
logistic regression model was used to explore the association of sociodemographic
and other variables with HIV infection in each province.
Results: The HIV prevalence reported in this study was similar to earlier
reports released by the Department of Health in 2005. That is the overall HIV
prevalence is 30.1% (29.5-30.8%) with KwaZulu Natal having the highest
(39.1%, 37.5-40.1%) and Western Cape recorded the lowest HIV prevalence
of 15.9% (14.1-17.4%).
Description
MSc (Med) Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand
Keywords
HIV prevalence, antenatal clinics, survey, analysis