AEGiS-11IAC: Women, HIV/ARC/AIDS. A socio-economic profile of female patients admitted in a medical ward.

11th International AIDS Conference


Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

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Women, HIV/ARC/AIDS. A socio-economic profile of female patients admitted in a medical ward.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:455 (abstract no. Pub.C.1107)
Lukusa AK; Mansa Hospital, Mansa, Luapula/Zambia. Fax: 821545.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the socio-economic profile of women admitted for ARC/AIDS in a medical ward.

METHODS: One hundred and thirty five (135) women were enrolled in a prospective study in female medical ward in Mansa Hospital, from 16/08/1994 to 15/11/1994 when complaining of, at least, one of the major signs of ARC(AIDS RELATED COMPLEX): 1. Chronic diarrhea, 2. Prolonged fever, 3. Wasting syndrome. A questionnaire of more than fifty items about socio-economic and medical conditions was used.

RESULTS: Marital status: Among them 62 (45.92%) are married, 36 (26.66%) divorcees, 21 (15.55%) singles, 16 (11.85%) widows. After counseling, 48 (35.55%) were tested for HIV, 7 (14.58%) were HIV-, 41 (85.41%) were HIV+ with 16 (39.02%) divorcees, 15 (36.58%) marrieds, 7 (17.07%) widows, 3 (7.31%) singles. Their ages range from 17 yrs. to 50 yrs., mean age 33.5 yrs.-Level of education: 79 (58.51%) attended primary school, 45 (33.33%) secondary school, 10 (7.40%) are illiterates, 1 (0.74%) the college.-Offspring: They had 317 "Children", mean 2.34 "children" per woman.-Main source of income (in the family): 50%: self employment, 30%: peasants, 20%: in public and private companies.

CONCLUSIONS: The disease exists among heterosexual active women, irrespective of the marital status.-There is no socio-economic boundary.-Divorce seems to be a predisposing factor.

Keywords: AEGIS, AIDS-Related Complex, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Patients' Rooms, Employment, Prospective Studies, Human, Female, Child, economics, ICA11KWDaegis,aids-relatedcomplex,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,patients'rooms,employment,prospectivestudies,human,female,child,economics,ica11

960707
PubC1107

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