RESEARCH PAPER
The burden of HIV/AIDS among slum-dwelling school-age children
in Kampala, Uganda
1
School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
2
Center for Innovations in Health Africa, Kampala, Uganda
3
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Submission date: 2019-04-09
Final revision date: 2019-05-08
Acceptance date: 2019-05-09
Publication date: 2019-11-16
HIV & AIDS Review 2019;18(4):267-272
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
epidemiology - population studiessocio-medical aspects of HIV and AIDSeducational aspects of HIV and AIDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Adult and youthful slum dwellers have been documented to have a higher prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared to the general population. However, there is paucity of information on the extent of this infection among slum-dwelling school-age (5-14 years) children in Uganda. This study explored the burden of HIV among slum-dwelling school-age children (SDSAC) of Namuwongo, Kampala, Uganda.
Material and methods:
We analysed data derived from HIV counselling and testing records of school-age children that tested at Kisugu HCIII between 2011 and 2016. A total of 555 anonymised records were analysed for: residence, HIV, religious, and sex status. Using STATA version 13, bi-variate analysis was conducted to obtain joint distribution, and the two-sample test of proportions test was used to elicit associations and their significance.
Results:
The overall study population burden of HIV was 2%, with girls (2.6%) more affected than boys (0.9%). SDSAC had a higher HIV burden (3.3%) compared to non-slum dwellers (1.2%). HIV was more prevalent among slum-dwelling girls (5.2%) compared to their non-slum dwelling counterparts (0.9%). A positive HIV result was associated with being a slum dwelling girl (95% CI: [0.3-8.3], p = 0.013) and belonging to the 10-14-year age group (95% CI: [0.002-0.065], p = 0.015).
Conclusions:
There is a high burden of HIV among slum-dwelling school-age girls in Kampala. SDSAC should be included among the blind spot population, and we recommend expansion of school-age-friendly, preventive, promotive, and therapeutic HIV services to these areas.
Adult and youthful slum dwellers have been documented to have a higher prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared to the general population. However, there is paucity of information on the extent of this infection among slum-dwelling school-age (5-14 years) children in Uganda. This study explored the burden of HIV among slum-dwelling school-age children (SDSAC) of Namuwongo, Kampala, Uganda.
Material and methods:
We analysed data derived from HIV counselling and testing records of school-age children that tested at Kisugu HCIII between 2011 and 2016. A total of 555 anonymised records were analysed for: residence, HIV, religious, and sex status. Using STATA version 13, bi-variate analysis was conducted to obtain joint distribution, and the two-sample test of proportions test was used to elicit associations and their significance.
Results:
The overall study population burden of HIV was 2%, with girls (2.6%) more affected than boys (0.9%). SDSAC had a higher HIV burden (3.3%) compared to non-slum dwellers (1.2%). HIV was more prevalent among slum-dwelling girls (5.2%) compared to their non-slum dwelling counterparts (0.9%). A positive HIV result was associated with being a slum dwelling girl (95% CI: [0.3-8.3], p = 0.013) and belonging to the 10-14-year age group (95% CI: [0.002-0.065], p = 0.015).
Conclusions:
There is a high burden of HIV among slum-dwelling school-age girls in Kampala. SDSAC should be included among the blind spot population, and we recommend expansion of school-age-friendly, preventive, promotive, and therapeutic HIV services to these areas.
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