AEGiS-11IAC: Religion, behaviours, and circumcision as determinants of HIV dynamics in rural Uganda.

11th International AIDS Conference

Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Religion, behaviours, and circumcision as determinants of HIV dynamics in rural Uganda.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:483 (abstract no. Pub.D.1294)
Kiwanuka N, Gray R, Sewankambo NK, Serwadda D, Wawer M, Li C; Rakai Project, Entebbe, Uganda.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between religion and HIV infection, and to assess the behaviours and characteristics that might explain differentials in HIV between religious denominations in rural Uganda.

METHODS: As part of the baseline visit in a randomized community STD mass treatment for HIV prevention, we collected information on HIV prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics and behaviours including alcohol consumption, number of sexual partners and sexual abstinence from 6366 females and 5148 males.

RESULTS: HIV infection was significantly higher among Catholics (19.9%) and Protestants (19.2%), than among Muslims (14.5%) and Saved/Pentecostal sects (14.6%). These differentials in HIV prevalence by religion appeared to be associated with differentials in risk behaviours/characteristics. Alcohol consumption in the last 30 days was higher among Catholics (64.3%) and Protestants (50.1%), than among Muslims (3.7%) and Saved/Pentecostal (3.4%). Saved/Pentecostals were less likely to have two or more sexual partners (12.4% males, 1.0% females) compared to other religions; Catholics (27.6% males, 4.3% females), Protestants (26.9% males, 3.2% females), Muslims (39.4% males, 3.0% females). Abstinence was higher among Saved (38.6%) when compared to other religions (22.7% in Catholics, 22.6% in Protestants, 19.1% in Muslims). Male circumcision was highest among Muslims (98.0%), with less than 5.0% males in other sects being circumcised. Muslims were more likely to have been circumcised during infancy (85.4%) whereas male circumcision in adherents of other religions was rare and tended to occur in adult hood. Alcohol consumption was associated with increased HIV infection (RR 1.42; CI 1.31-1.53), current sexual abstinence was associated with somewhat lower HIV risk (RR=0.91; CI 0.84-1.0), circumcision at birth was also associated with reduced HIV risk (RR=0.57; CI 0.45-0.73).

CONCLUSIONS: Lower rates of HIV infection among Pentecostals appear to be associated with less alcohol consumption, sexual abstinence and fewer sexual partners, whereas the low HIV prevalence in Muslims appears to be associated with low reported alcohol consumption and male circumcision.

Keywords: AEGIS, Circumcision, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV Infections, Religion, Sex Behavior, Sexual Partners, Prevalence, Behavior, Uganda, Islam, Sexual Abstinence, Human, Male, Female, Adult, surgery, ICA11

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