Title: Prevalence of HIV infection among hospital patients in north west Tanzania.

POPLINE Document Number: 141418

Author(s):

Kwesigabo G
Killewo JZ
Sandstrom A
Winani S
Mhalu FS
Biberfeld G
Wall S

Source citation:

AIDS CARE, 1999 Feb;11(1):87-93.

Abstract:

A study was conducted to assess the prevalence of HIV infection among patients at Bukoba regional government hospital in the Kagera region of Tanzania, the economic impact of AIDS upon health care, and the implications of HIV testing upon clinical suspicion of AIDS. 1471 consecutive admissions were recruited into the study, of whom 1422 completed questionnaires and had their blood sera tested for HIV antibodies. The overall age-adjusted HIV-1 prevalence among the hospitalized patients was 32.8%, with no statistically significant difference in the age-adjusted, sex-specific HIV-1 prevalence rate. The highest HIV-1 prevalence of 53.3% was found among people aged 25-34 years, as well as in the gynecological and medical wards (41.2% and 40.4%, respectively). HIV-1-infected patients were more likely to have a history of previous hospital admissions, and were at an increased risk of developing tuberculosis (TB). The diagnostic categories with the highest HIV-1 infection prevalence were clinical AIDS (88.5%), herpes zoster and other HIV-1 skin manifestations combined (85.7%), and pulmonary TB (58.3%). The prevalence of HIV-1 infection was high among these patients, indicating that the major cause of illness leading to admission to the hospital may have been underlying HIV-1 infection. However, since the diagnostic category of clinical AIDS was only 11.3% sensitive, only 11.3% of the HIV-seropositive cases would have been HIV tested on the clinical suspicion of AIDS. These findings indicate that in a high HIV-1 prevalence area, testing for HIV infection on the basis of clinical suspicion of AIDS alone is insufficient to provide rational care to the majority of HIV-infected patients.

Keywords:

Tanzania
Research Report
Prevalence
HIV Infections
AIDS
Hospitals
Clients
Adults
Africa, Eastern
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
Developing Countries
Measurement
Research Methodology
Viral Diseases
Diseases
Health Facilities
Delivery of Health Care
Health
Program Activities
Programs
Organization and Administration
Age Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population