Are teachers at higher risk of HIV infection than the general population in Burkina Faso?. (August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kirakoya-Samadoulougou, Fati; Nagot, Nicolas; Yaro, Seydou; Fao, Paulin; Defer, Marie-Christine; Ilboudo, François; Langani, Youssouf; Meda, Nicolas; Robert, Annie
• Is Part Of: International journal of STD & AIDS. Volume 24:Number 8(2013)
• Page Start: 651
• Page End: 659
• Publication Date: 2013-08
• Subjects: Human immunodeficiency virus -- HIV -- AIDS -- viral disease -- epidemiology -- prevalence -- school teachers -- Africa; Sexually transmitted diseases -- Periodicals; AIDS (Disease) -- Periodicals; 616.951
• DOI: 10.1177/0956462413479896
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-4624

Abstract

In order to assess the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence among teachers in Burkina Faso, we carried out a national survey in 336 primary and secondary schools from urban and rural areas. Among 2088 teachers who agreed to participate, 1498 (71.7%) provided urine for HIV testing. The crude prevalence of HIV among teachers was 2.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0–3.6), with no difference between teachers from primary schools (2.9%, 95%CI: 2.1–4.0) and those from secondary schools (2.5%, 95%CI: 0.5–4.5). Age- and area-standardized HIV prevalence was 1.0% (95%CI: 0.4–1.2) in male teachers, 2.5 times lower than among men in the general population (as assessed from a concomitant Demographic Health Survey), and it was 3.5% (95%CI: 2.5–5.2) in female teachers, 1.7 times higher than in Demographic Health Survey women. This finding calls for the implementation of specific HIV prevention programmes in the education sector targeting women more specifically.