The influence of marital status on HIV infection in an HIV hyperendemic area of rural South Africa, 2000­2017

Marital status is one of the factors whose impact on HIV infection has always been studied but contradictory findings have been reported. The drastic changes in marriage patterns in South Africa influences the role of marital status on HIV infection. This study aims to give evidence-based information on the association between marital status and HIV infection in a hyperendemic HIV area in rural South Africa. This study was conducted on longitudinal data collected from the African Health Research Institute (AHRI) based in northern rural KwaZulu-Natal from 2000 to 2017 using multivariable Cox regression. The multivariable Cox regression results found marital status to be a significant factor of HIV infection. Compared to those who were married, the risk of HIV infection was approximately two times in those who were never married while those who were widowed presented as much as twice the risk of HIV infection. In addition, less educated participants were at more risk of HIV infection than those with tertiary education. Furthermore, as expected, the risk of HIV infection increased with age (20­24 HR: 3.05 (2.32­4.02); 25­34 HR: 3.98 (3.12­5.07) and 35­49 HR: 4.36 (3.36­5.67). Women were more susceptible to HIV infection than men were. This study found marital status to be an influential factor of HIV infection together with other socio-economic and demographic factors. This finding will help guide policy makers on empowerment programmes and policies targeting HIV and other health related issues in rural South Africa

Partager l'information sur son statut serologique VIH dans un contexte de polygamie au Senegal

Au Senegal; ou la prevalence du VIH est inferieure a 1 et la stigmatisation reste importante; 40 des unions sont polygamiques. L'objet de cet article est de decrire et analyser les motivations; les avantages et les contraintes lies au partage de l'information a propos du statut VIH + ; en explorant les particularites relatives aux situations de polygamie. Il repose sur les donnees d'une recherche qualitative par entretiens approfondis et repetes sur l'experience du traitement antiretroviral et ses effets sociaux; menee sur une periode de 10 ans aupres de personnes sous traitement et de leurs soignants. Les professionnels de sante encouragent les personnes a partager leur statut; surtout dans certaines circonstances telles que la prevention de la transmission mere-enfant; neanmoins ils sont bien conscients des risques sociaux que courent certains patients; notamment des femmes. Certains insistent; d'autres n'interviennent pas aupres de celles qui ne partagent pas avec leur conjoint; tout en soulignant leur dilemme ethique. Les entretiens retracent l'evolution des attitudes des soignants a cet egard. La majorite des femmes mariees commencent par partager leur statut VIH+ avec leur mere; attendant d'elle qu'elle atteste que la contamination n'est pas due a des comportements amoraux et qu'elle participe a la mise en place d'une strategie. Dans les foyers polygames; les femmes tentent de partager l'information avec leur conjoint; en maintenant le secret au-dela du couple. Certaines craignent la divulgation par leur conjoint aupres des coepouses; dont les attitudes peuvent etre tres diverses: des recits rapportent le rejet collectif hors du foyer dont certaines femmes ont ete victimes; l'annonce est parfois faite de maniere progressive en suivant la hierarchie des positions de chaque interlocuteur dans le foyer; une autre personne rapporte la solidarite montree par ses coepouses qui lui a permis de maintenir le secret hors du foyer. L'article montre la diversite des situations et leur caractere evolutif tant en matiere de partage du statut qu'a propos des effets sociaux de ce partage

The Effect of Marital Status and Self-Reported Physical Exercise on the Adiposity and Blood Pressure of the Igbos of Nigeria

The effect of marital status and self-reported exercise was investigated in a sample of Igbos in Nigeria. Physical activity level was grouped into: no exercise; irregular exercise and regular exercise. In all the groups; adiposity level and mean BP decreases as the frequencies of physical activity increases and these were significant for weight; BMI; diastolic BP; body circumferences; skinfold thickness except CSF among the married men; while for the never married men significant difference exist only for WC; FAC; SSF among the three groups. For the married women; the three groups of physical activity recorded significant difference in Weight; BMI; WC and HC while the never married women had significant difference only in CSF (F = 4.5; P = 0.01). The result of this study suggests that sex; marital status and exercise have effect on adiposity and blood pressure of the subjects. The married state was conducive for the development of excess adiposity and elevated BP while regular participation in exercise brings a reduction in fat stores and blood pressure. In conclusion; there is a greater tendency for married individuals to be overweight as compared to the never married subjects and regular physical exercise has strong influence in reducing the propensity to increase weight in both men and womenhttp://www.akspublication.com/Paper02_Jan2009_.pdf

The Effect of Marital Status and Self-Reported Physical Exercise on the Adiposity and Blood Pressure of the Igbos of Nigeria

The effect of marital status and self-reported exercise was investigated in a sample of Igbos in Nigeria. Physical activity level was grouped into: no exercise; irregular exercise and regular exercise. In all the groups; adiposity level and mean BP decreases as the frequencies of physical activity increases and these were significant for weight; BMI; diastolic BP; body circumferences; skinfold thickness except CSF among the married men; while for the never married men significant difference exist only for WC; FAC; SSF among the three groups. For the married women; the three groups of physical activity recorded significant difference in Weight; BMI; WC and HC while the never married women had significant difference only in CSF (F = 4.5; P = 0.01). The result of this study suggests that sex; marital status and exercise have effect on adiposity and blood pressure of the subjects. The married state was conducive for the development of excess adiposity and elevated BP while regular participation in exercise brings a reduction in fat stores and blood pressure. In conclusion; there is a greater tendency for married individuals to be overweight as compared to the never married subjects and regular physical exercise has strong influence in reducing the propensity to increase weight in both men and women