Socio-economic and demographic factors related to HIV status in urban informal settlements in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of HIVetAIDS is embedded in social and economic inequity and the relationship between social determinants and HIV incidence is well established. The aim of this study was to determine which socio-economic and demographic factors are related to HIV status in the age group 18 to 49 years in informal settlements in the Eastern Cape; South Africa. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 informal settlements (n = 752) during March 2013 within the Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City districts. A proportional cluster sample was selected and stratified by area and formal plot/squatter households in open areas. Respondents who volunteered to participate had to provide informed written consent before trained; bilingual peer educators interviewed them and completed the structured questionnaire. HIV status was determined and information on demographic and socio-economic variables was included in the bivariate analysis. The prevalence of HIV was higher; at 17.3; than the 2011 estimated national prevalence among the general population in South Africa. The level of education (?2 = 5.50; df = 1; p 0.05); geographical site (?2