HIV infection among women admitted to the gynaecology service of a district hospital in South Africa

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the prevalence of HIV infection and disease-specific HIV prevalence among women admitted to the gynaecology service of a district hospital in South Africa over a 3-month period in 1997. This was done with the goal of developing HIV education and counselling services in this setting. HIV status was determined among 196 (96%) of 205 consecutive admissions; 82 (42%) tested HIV positive. The HIV-infected women were younger than the HIV uninfected women (mean age 27 vs 33 years, P=0.001). The disease-specific HIV prevalence was > or = 40% among women who had had abortions, pelvic inflammatory disease, or ectopic pregnancy. The length of hospital stay (mean 5.4 days) and mortality (1%) were similar in the 2 groups. Inpatient gynaecology services may be an important setting in Africa, within which to provide HIV education, counselling and care.

PIP: This article features a study on the disease-specific prevalence of HIV infection among 196 gynecologic patients admitted to Hlabisa hospital, South Africa, in 1997. The data obtained were presented as crude HIV prevalence and disease-specific HIV prevalence. Findings reflected a high prevalence of HIV infection and showing a significant association with abortion and its complications among the women admitted in this health facility. The study demonstrates that South Africa has been experiencing a high epidemic of HIV, which demands urgent attention and care through the provision of simple, cost-effective and voluntary counseling and testing services in order to help prevent the spread of the disease.