Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Volume 30, Issue 2, 2003, Pages 149-156

The impact of migration on HIV-1 transmission in South Africa: A study of migrant and nonmigrant men and their partners (Article)

Lurie M.N.* , Williams B.G. , Zuma K. , Mkaya-Mwamburi D. , Garnett G.P. , Sturm A.W. , Sweat M.D. , Gittelsohn J. , Abdool Karim S.S.
  • a South African Med. Research Council, Vaccine Research Unit, Durban, South Africa, Brown University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, United States, Brown University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906, United States
  • b Communicable Diseases, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
  • c Department of Statistics, University of New Zealand, Waikato, New Zealand
  • d South African Med. Research Council, Vaccine Research Unit, Durban, South Africa
  • e Dept. of Infect. Dis. Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
  • f Brown University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Miriam Hospital, Providence, RI, United States, Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Natal, Durban, South Africa
  • g Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • h Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • i University of Natal, Durban, South Africa, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States

Abstract

Background: To investigate the association between migration and HIV infection among migrant and nonmigrant men and their rural partners. Goal: The goal was to determine risk factors for HIV-1 infection in South Africa. Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of 196 migrant men and 130 of their rural partners, as well as 64 nonmigrant men and 98 rural women whose partners are nonmigrant. Male migrants were recruited at work in two urban centers, 100 km and 700 km from their rural homes. Rural partners were traced and invited to participate. Nonmigrant couples were recruited for comparison. The study involved administration of a detailed questionnaire and blood collection for HIV testing. Results: Testing showed that 25.9% of migrant men and 12.7% of nonmigrant men were infected with HIV (P = 0.029; odds ratio = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.1-5.3). In multivariate analysis, main risk factors for male HIV infection were being a migrant, ever having used a condom, and having lived in four or more places during a lifetime. Being the partner of a migrant was not a significant risk factor for HIV infection among women; significant risk factors were reporting more than one current regular partner, being younger than 35 years, and having STD symptoms during the previous 4 months. Conclusion: Migration is an independent risk factor for HIV infection among men. Workplace interventions are urgently needed to prevent further infections. High rates of HIV were found among rural women, and the migration status of the regular partner was not a major risk factor for HIV. Rural women lack access to appropriate prevention interventions, regardless of their partners' migration status.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

urban population rural area HIV Infections sexual behavior Human immunodeficiency virus infection human middle aged Sexual Partners condom controlled study rural population Human immunodeficiency virus prevalence Cross-Sectional Studies South Africa HIV Antibodies Humans workplace male female risk factor Risk Factors Multivariate Analysis questionnaire prevalence Article Questionnaires adult blood analysis migration HIV-1 infection risk Human immunodeficiency virus 1 Emigration and Immigration virus transmission
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0037312366&doi=10.1097%2f00007435-200302000-00011&partnerID=40&md5=3c649dd2302b1da0a76d10f131f7b780
DOI: 10.1097/00007435-200302000-00011
ISSN: 01485717
Cited by: 297
Original Language: English