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SA's kids: Cut down by HIV
2004-05-13

A study on the HIV prevalence of children has revealed that about seven percent of two to nine-year-olds have the virus, as do around five percent of 10- to 18-year-olds. This research is part of the broader 2002 Nelson Mandela/HSRC study of HIV and Aids. The research can be downloaded from the HSRC website on http://www.hsrc.ac.za

A study on the HIV prevalence of children has revealed that about seven percent of two to nine-year-olds have the virus, as do around five percent of 10- to 18-year-olds.

This research was presented on Wednesday at the Social Aspects of HIV and Aids Research Alliance conference by Olive Shisana, a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) director.

It is part of the broader 2002 Nelson Mandela/HSRC study of HIV and Aids. The risk of HIV and Aids among children has received little attention. It appears they run a much greater risk of contracting HIV and Aids than was previously thought, Shisana said.

South Africa has not yet felt the full impact of the epidemic on children. There is still time to prepare so that when it hits hard, we can address it effectively.

Altogether 3 988 children and teenagers took part, and 82 percent gave oral fluid samples.

Shisana said the findings were representative of the broader population because households had been randomly chosen in 1 000 census districts, which had also been randomly chosen from the country's 8 000 districts.

The HSRC found that:

HIV prevalence was 5,4 percent among two- to 18-year-olds, 6,2 percent among two- to nine-year-olds, 4,7 percent among 10- to 14-year-olds and five percent among 15- to 18-year-olds. 

African, poor and informal settlement children were worst affected 
45 percent of the children lived in homes with not enough money for food and clothing.

13percent of households with at least one child aged 12 to 14 ran a home business such as a spaza shop or shebeen.

Almost 32 percent of children were exposed to someone in their home who is drunk at least once a month.

Three percent of teenagers said they were the head of the household.

Almost half the children aged two to 11 and 75 percent of those aged 12 to 14 were sent on errands alone.

African, poor and informal settlement children were worst affected.

The study gave confidence intervals, or calculations of possible error for each figure, which typically said there was a 95 percent chance of the figure being one or two percentage points higher or lower than the percentage given.

Researchers could not ask children about sexual abuse because if they found it, they would be obliged to take legal steps. 

Instead the HSRC tried to establish how many children lived in homes where they were at risk of sexual abuse.

Rob Dorrington, director of the Centre for Actuarial Research at the University of Cape Town, and Alan Smith, chief virologist at the University of Durban, have previously criticised the methodology of the Nelson Mandela/ HSRC report. ( Source: Jo-Anne Smetherham, The Star on May 13, 2004)

The research can be downloaded from the HSRC website on http://www.hsrc.ac.za

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