Fertility levels and trends in the face of the AIDS epidemic in Uganda.

The paper uses data on ever-married women interviewed in 1992 and 1995 surveys in six districts of Uganda. Total fertility rates declined during the inter-survey period from 7.3 to 6.0. Women in households that experienced AIDS-related deaths had lower fertility levels than women in non-AIDS-affected households in both 1992 and 1995. This pattern was true of women at older ages, in polygamous unions, the widowed and separated, and among the highly educated and the uneducated.

PIP: Data on ever-married women in 1797 urban and rural households in the Mbale, Iganga, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Hoima districts of Uganda were obtained in a 1992 survey. Each household had experienced a death, mainly since 1982. 2352 households including those in the 1992 study were later interviewed in a 1995 survey. The additional households surveyed in 1995 had experienced a death during 1992-95. Total fertility rates declined during the period from 7.3 to 6.0. Women in households which experienced AIDS-related deaths had lower fertility levels than women in non-AIDS-affected households in both 1992 and 1995. That pattern held true for women at older ages, women in polygamous unions, the widowed and separated, and among the highly educated and the uneducated.

The AIDS epidemic and infant and child mortality in six districts of Uganda.

Several studies in sub-Saharan Africa have associated infant and child mortality with the AIDS epidemic in the region. The paper uses retrospective survey data of six districts in the east, south and west of Uganda to study infant and child mortality, which increased in the 1980s probably because of the AIDS epidemic and started declining in the early 1990s, a period when the epidemic was reported to be subsiding. Deeper analysis of data indicates that children whose parents are polygamous, educated, formally employed and in business are at a higher risk of death from AIDS and related illness. Although AIDS as a direct cause of death is the fourth leading killer of children, other serious diseases such as diarrhoea, respiratory infection and measles are associated with AIDS.

PIP: Several studies in sub-Saharan Africa have associated infant and child mortality with the AIDS epidemic in the region. In the Mbale, Iganga, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Hoima districts of Uganda, infant and child mortality increased during the 1980s, most likely because of the AIDS epidemic, and began declining in the early 1990s, a period when the epidemic was reported to be subsiding. Using survey data collected from households in the districts in 1992 and 1995 and vital registration data for 1 year during 1995 and 1996, children whose parents are polygamous, educated, formally employed, and in business were found to be at higher risk of death from AIDS and related illness. AIDS as a direct cause of death is the fourth leading killer of children. However, other serious diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infection, and measles are also associated with AIDS. 1797 households were surveyed in 1992 and 2352 in 1995.

AIDS mortality in Uganda: circumstances, factors and impact of death.

HIV/AIDS is a serious problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease affects the most sexually active adults of the population, who belong to the most productive age groups, and some of whom are breadwinners. The paper uses data from a baseline survey of six districts of Uganda to study the circumstances, factors and impact of death due to AIDS. While high proportions of patients of AIDS or related diseases use health facilities, most deaths occur at home. Deaths due to AIDS or related diseases are associated with sex, age, marital status, type of marriage, education, occupation and ethnicity. The worst effect of AIDS deaths on the household is lack of finance.

PIP: HIV/AIDS affects the most sexually active adults of the population in sub-Saharan Africa. Those individuals also belong to the most productive age groups and some support partners, families, and households. Data collected from 1797 urban and rural households in the Mbale, Iganga, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Hoima districts of Uganda in a 1992 survey were examined to study the circumstances, factors, and impact of death due to AIDS. Each household had experienced a death, mainly since 1982. While high proportions of patients of AIDS or related diseases use health facilities, most deaths occur at home. Deaths due to AIDS or related diseases were found to be associated with sex, age, marital status, type of marriage, education, occupation, and ethnicity, while the worst effect of AIDS deaths upon households is lack of finance.

Underlying factors in female sexual partner instability in Kampala.

Divorced or separated persons are more likely to be infected with HIV than those in marital unions: sexual partner instability appears to have significant implications in STD/HIV transmission. While this appears empirically true, most current STD/HIV preventive strategies do not seem to address partner instability as an important underlying factor in STD/HIV transmission and control. This paper describes reasons why young females may be motivated to change sexual partners or have more than one sexual partner. The problems appear to be dissatisfaction due to infidelity of the male partner, fear of getting STD from current partner, drunken or unattractive male partner, economic problems, lack of leisure time together, male partner's children with other women, and male partner's relatives' influence. STD/AIDS Control Programs should note that dissatisfaction with partner may be an underlying factor in HIV transmission.

PIP: Most available research findings indicate that HIV transmission, in both heterosexual and homosexual relationships, is mainly the result of having sex with multiple partners. 40 randomly selected female students aged 15-39 years in tertiary educational institutions in Kampala participated in a study exploring why women change their sex partners concurrently or consecutively, or return to previous sex partners. 22.5% of the women had two or more current sex partners and 20% had acquired new sex partners in the previous 3 months, of whom five had resumed active sexual relationships with former sex partners. Two women aged 18-20 years reported being virgin, 10 had had 1 sex partner over the course of their lives, 18 had had 5-9, and 8 had had 10 or more. Information collected from these women indicates that young females may be motivated to change sex partners or have more than one sex partner because of dissatisfaction due to the infidelity of the male partner, fear of contracting a sexually transmitted disease from the current partner, having a drunken or unattractive male partner, economic problems, lack of leisure time together, the male partner's children are with other women, and the male partner's relatives' influence.