HIV and adolescents' educational attainment in South Africa: disentangling the effect of infection in children and household members

Background. Many empirical studies have assessed the effect of adults' HIV infection on their livelihood. However, the effect of children's HIV status on their educational outcomes during adolescence has not been adequately investigated. Objectives. The study aims to evaluate the effect of household members' HIV infection and that of children on their educational outcomes (school enrolment and progression) during adolescence. Methods. Waves 1 to 4 of the South African National Income Dynamics Study panel data collected between 2008 and 2015 were used.Analytical samples contained data for 8 835 adolescents aged 10-19 years. Analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics, logistic and linear regression as well as Oaxaca and Ransom decomposition methods. Results. Of the study sample, 7 176 were currently in school and 636 were not. HIV infection had no effect on adolescent school enrolment. Adolescent HIV infection significantly reduced their school progress index by about 8.41. The explanter variables explained 18% of the adolescents' school progress gap associated with HIV infection. The unexplained gap might have been attributable to stigmatisation and/or unobserved morbidity associated with adolescents' HIV infection. Conclusion. Adolescent HIV infection affects their school progression. Education support should be targeted directly at HIV-infected children instead of targeting families with infected parents only

Influence of independent and proximate variables on condom use in selected states in Nigeria

The study examined the influence of individual and proximate factors in determining condom use. Current use of condom and condom use during last sex were used as proxies for consistent condom use. Data on 3,797 sexually active respondents of reproductive age was analyzed from the 2007 USAID-COMPASS midline evaluation on basic family planning and reproductive health outcomes in five Nigerian states. About 9% of respondents were current users, while 11% used a condom during last sex. Younger and more educated respondents were more likely to report condom use. Of the 23 variables, four were statistically significant (p<0.05) in predicting current use for females, and five for males; six were statistically significant in predicting condom use during last sex for females and seven for males. The paper concluded that understanding the determinants and predictors of condom use is critical to improving family planning and reproductive health indicators in Nigeria (Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[4]: 53-62)