Operations research project: phase I study of the effect of health education on the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus infection in the Rakai district of Uganda: February 1988 - December 1989.

The Center for Population and Family Health at Columbia University in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Program (ACP) at the Ministry of Health in Uganda WHOs Global Program on AIDS Makerere University and the Ugandan Virus Research Institute conducted an operations research (OR) study on the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the Rakai district of Uganda. The 1st phase of project implementation extended from February 1988 to December 1989 and included such objectives as: 1) determining the prevalence and annual incidence of HIV infection in Rakai District; 2) determining the natural history of HIV infection among those infected in the study area; 3) determining attitudes towards condom use; and 4) assessing the effects of AIDS education activities including condom promotion. Baseline data was collected from 2400 men women and children drawn from 21 randomly selected roadside and rural clusters in the district. Preventive interventions also took place. Final survey and serological data for this analysis was based on 1292 adults. 94% knew of AIDS and its transmission sexually; 71% said they had changed their sexual behavior because of AIDS (change in numbers of sexual partners); 21% reported having more than 1 sexual partner in the last year (33% of males between 20-30 in the trading centers). 52.3% of roadside cluster males and 15.3% of rural males had heard of condoms; current condom use was reported by 2.0% of males in the trading towns and 0.7% in rural clusters and by 0.6% of all female respondents. 1.2% of women were taking the pill; 6% of all respondents and 8.4% of women in trading towns accepted money of gifts in exchange for sex. 15% of the men were circumcised. of 1292 adults 255 or 19.7% were seropositive by Western Blot with peak prevalence among women in the trade group and over 50% were HIV positive.