Incidence of HIV in Windhoek, Namibia: Demographic and Socio-Economic Associations
2011

HIV Incidence and Prevalence in Windhoek, Namibia

Sample size: 3168 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Aulagnier Marielle, Janssens Wendy, De Beer Ingrid, van Rooy Gert, Gaeb Esegiel, Hesp Cees, van der Gaag Jacques, Rinke de Wit Tobias F.

Primary Institution: PharmAccess Foundation, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hypothesis

To estimate HIV incidence and prevalence in Windhoek, Namibia and to analyze socio-economic factors related to HIV infection.

Conclusion

The study found that HIV incidence and prevalence remain high in Windhoek, particularly among women, and are not significantly associated with socio-economic factors.

Supporting Evidence

  • HIV prevalence in the population aged over 12 years was 11.8% in 2006/7 and increased to 14.6% in 2009.
  • HIV incidence was found to be 2.4 per 100 person years.
  • HIV knowledge was strongly associated with lower incidence rates for both men and women.
  • Women showed higher HIV incidence rates compared to men, with 2.6 per 100 person years for females.

Takeaway

This study looked at how many people in Windhoek have HIV and found that a lot of them do, especially women, and it doesn't seem to be linked to how much money they have.

Methodology

The study used household surveys conducted in 2006/7, 2008, and 2009, collecting socio-economic data and biomedical markers from participants aged 12 years and older.

Potential Biases

There is a risk of bias due to higher non-response rates among wealthier and better-educated individuals, which could lead to overestimation of HIV prevalence.

Limitations

The study faced attrition rates and potential biases due to non-response, which may affect the accuracy of HIV prevalence estimates.

Participant Demographics

The sample included 51.8% females with a mean age of 30.3 years, and various socio-economic backgrounds.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Confidence Interval

[1.9–2.9]

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0025860

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