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HIV incidence and associated risk factors in adolescent girls and young women in South Africa : A population-based cohort study

Lewis, Lara ; Kharsany, Ayesha B.M. ; Humphries, Hilton ; Maughan-Brown, Brendan ; Beckett, Sean ; Govender, Kaymarlin ; Cawood, Cherie ; Khanyile, David and George, Gavin LU (2022) In PLoS ONE 17(12 December).
Abstract

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, high HIV incidence rates in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) persist despite extensive HIV prevention efforts. Methods A prospective cohort of 2,710 HIV-negative AGYW (15–24 years) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were interviewed at baseline and followed-up approximately 18 months later (2014–2017). Associations between HIV seroconversion and socio-demographic and behavioural variables measured at baseline and follow-up were examined using Cox regression and a proximate determinants framework. Inter-relationships between determinants were measured using logistic regression. Separate models were built for 15–19 and 20-24-year-olds. Results Weighted HIV incidence was 3.92 per 100 person-years (95%... (More)

Background In sub-Saharan Africa, high HIV incidence rates in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) persist despite extensive HIV prevention efforts. Methods A prospective cohort of 2,710 HIV-negative AGYW (15–24 years) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were interviewed at baseline and followed-up approximately 18 months later (2014–2017). Associations between HIV seroconversion and socio-demographic and behavioural variables measured at baseline and follow-up were examined using Cox regression and a proximate determinants framework. Inter-relationships between determinants were measured using logistic regression. Separate models were built for 15–19 and 20-24-year-olds. Results Weighted HIV incidence was 3.92 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 3.27–4.69; 163 seroconversions over 4,016 person-years). Among 15-19-year-olds, absence of family support (adjusted hazards ratio (aHR): 3.82 (1.89–7.72)), having a circumcised partner (aHR: 0.5 (0.27–0.94)) or one who was HIV-positive and not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (aHR: 6.21 (2.56–15.06)) were associated with HIV incidence. Those reporting an absence of family support were also more likely to report >1 partner during follow-up (odds ratio (OR): 2.7(1.11–6.57)). Among 20-24-year-olds, failure to complete secondary school (aHR: 1.89 (1.11–3.21)), inconsistent condom use (aHR: 3.01 (1.14–7.96)) and reporting partner(s) who were HIV-positive and not on ART (aHR: 7.75 (3.06–19.66)) were associated with HIV incidence. Failure to complete secondary school among 20-24-year-olds was associated with inconsistent condom use (OR: 1.82 (1.20–2.77)) and reporting an HIV-positive partner not on ART (OR: 3.53(1.59–7.82)) or an uncircumcised partner (OR: 1.39 (1.08–1.82). Conclusion Absence of family support and incomplete schooling are associated with risky sexual behaviours and HIV acquisition in AGYW. In addition, partner-level prevention—condom use, medical circumcision, and viral suppression–continue to play an important role in reducing HIV risk in AGYW. These findings support the use of combination HIV prevention programs that consider structural as well as biological and behavioural HIV risk factors in their design.

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published
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in
PLoS ONE
volume
17
issue
12 December
article number
e0279289
publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
external identifiers
  • pmid:36542645
  • scopus:85144591705
ISSN
1932-6203
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0279289
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
13057380-c579-460e-aba9-438e5281b99a
date added to LUP
2023-01-09 13:21:48
date last changed
2024-04-18 07:43:45
@article{13057380-c579-460e-aba9-438e5281b99a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background In sub-Saharan Africa, high HIV incidence rates in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) persist despite extensive HIV prevention efforts. Methods A prospective cohort of 2,710 HIV-negative AGYW (15–24 years) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were interviewed at baseline and followed-up approximately 18 months later (2014–2017). Associations between HIV seroconversion and socio-demographic and behavioural variables measured at baseline and follow-up were examined using Cox regression and a proximate determinants framework. Inter-relationships between determinants were measured using logistic regression. Separate models were built for 15–19 and 20-24-year-olds. Results Weighted HIV incidence was 3.92 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval: 3.27–4.69; 163 seroconversions over 4,016 person-years). Among 15-19-year-olds, absence of family support (adjusted hazards ratio (aHR): 3.82 (1.89–7.72)), having a circumcised partner (aHR: 0.5 (0.27–0.94)) or one who was HIV-positive and not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) (aHR: 6.21 (2.56–15.06)) were associated with HIV incidence. Those reporting an absence of family support were also more likely to report &gt;1 partner during follow-up (odds ratio (OR): 2.7(1.11–6.57)). Among 20-24-year-olds, failure to complete secondary school (aHR: 1.89 (1.11–3.21)), inconsistent condom use (aHR: 3.01 (1.14–7.96)) and reporting partner(s) who were HIV-positive and not on ART (aHR: 7.75 (3.06–19.66)) were associated with HIV incidence. Failure to complete secondary school among 20-24-year-olds was associated with inconsistent condom use (OR: 1.82 (1.20–2.77)) and reporting an HIV-positive partner not on ART (OR: 3.53(1.59–7.82)) or an uncircumcised partner (OR: 1.39 (1.08–1.82). Conclusion Absence of family support and incomplete schooling are associated with risky sexual behaviours and HIV acquisition in AGYW. In addition, partner-level prevention—condom use, medical circumcision, and viral suppression–continue to play an important role in reducing HIV risk in AGYW. These findings support the use of combination HIV prevention programs that consider structural as well as biological and behavioural HIV risk factors in their design.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lewis, Lara and Kharsany, Ayesha B.M. and Humphries, Hilton and Maughan-Brown, Brendan and Beckett, Sean and Govender, Kaymarlin and Cawood, Cherie and Khanyile, David and George, Gavin}},
  issn         = {{1932-6203}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12 December}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science (PLoS)}},
  series       = {{PLoS ONE}},
  title        = {{HIV incidence and associated risk factors in adolescent girls and young women in South Africa : A population-based cohort study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279289}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pone.0279289}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}