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Prevalence of HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy among high school students in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a bio-behavioural cross-sectional survey.
- Source :
-
Sexually transmitted infections [Sex Transm Infect] 2014 Dec; Vol. 90 (8), pp. 620-6. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 May 29. - Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Objective: Adolescents in southern African high schools are a key population for HIV prevention interventions. We report on the prevalence of HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy as indicators of high-risk sexual behaviour among high school students in rural KwaZulu-Natal.<br />Design: Bio-behavioural cross-sectional survey.<br />Methods: Students completed a self-administered structured, standardised demographic and sexual behavioural questionnaire. Dried blood spot specimens were collected for HIV and HSV-2 testing. Urine specimens were used for pregnancy testing in female students.<br />Results: A total of 2675 (1423 females, 1252 males) consenting students were enrolled from 14 high schools between September and November 2010. The median age of students was 16 years (IQR 15-18). HIV prevalence was 1.4% (95% CI 0.9 to 1.9) in males and 6.4% (95% CI 4.6 to 8.3) in females (p<0.001). HSV-2 prevalence was 2.6% (95% CI 1.6 to 3.7) in males and 10.7% (95% CI 8.8 to 12.6) in females (p<0.001). Pregnancy prevalence was 3.6% (95% CI 2.6 to 4.5). Risk factors for prevalent HIV infection in female students included being over 18 years of age (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.67, 95% CI 1.67 to 4.27; p<0.001), prevalent HSV-2 infection (aOR=4.35, 95% CI 2.61 to 7.24; p<0.001), previous pregnancy (aOR=1.66, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.51; p=0.016) and experience of two or more deaths in the household in the previous year (aOR=1.97, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.44; p=0.016).<br />Conclusions: The high prevalence of HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy underscore the need for school-based sexual and reproductive health services, and provide further impetus for the inclusion of adolescents in behavioural and biomedical trials with HIV incidence endpoints.<br /> (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Blood virology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Pregnancy statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Risk-Taking
Rural Population
Schools
Sexual Behavior statistics & numerical data
South Africa epidemiology
Students
Surveys and Questionnaires
Urine chemistry
HIV Infections epidemiology
Herpes Genitalis epidemiology
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious epidemiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1472-3263
- Volume :
- 90
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 24873967
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2014-051548