Anaemia in a rural Ugandan HIV cohort: prevalence at enrolment, incidence, diagnosis and associated factors.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and incidence of anaemia in HIV-positive and negative individuals; to identify risk factors for anaemia, prior to the introduction of HAART; and to determine the validity of the clinical diagnosis of anaemia.

Methods: Between 1990 and 2003, we followed a rural population based cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected participants. Prevalence and incidence of anaemia were determined clinically and by laboratory measurements.

HIV-1 disease progression and mortality before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy in rural Uganda.

Objective: To provide estimates of survival and progression to different HIV disease endpoints after HIV infection among adults in a rural Ugandan setting.

Design: A prospective population-based cohort study.

Methods: Eligible individuals at least 15 years of age with documented HIV seroconversion were recruited from a general population cohort in rural Uganda, along with a randomly selected proportion of HIV-prevalent and HIV-negative individuals.

Effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression and survival among women in rural Uganda.

Objective: To investigate the effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression and survival among HIV-infected women in rural Uganda, prior to the introduction of anti-retroviral therapy (ART).

Methods: From a clinical cohort established in 1990, we selected records from HIV-infected women of reproductive age. We conducted two analyses: (1) all HIV-infected cases contributing to analysis of CD4 decline, using a linear regression model with random intercepts and slopes; (b) incident cases with known date of seroconversion contributed to analyses of median time to CD4 <200 cells/microl, AIDS and death.

HIV incidence and recent injections among adults in rural southwestern Uganda.

Thirty-six incident HIV cases were matched for age, sex and time period with 36 controls to examine associations with recent injections. A significant association between HIV incidence and a history of injections was detected that was not reduced after adjusting for available sexual behaviour variables. This association could either be the result of injections causing HIV infection or, more likely, injections for seroconversion illnesses or other consequences of unsafe sex.

Changing association between schooling levels and HIV-1 infection over 11 years in a rural population cohort in south-west Uganda.

Background: Previous studies have found that in Africa, a greater risk of HIV infection is often found in groups with higher educational attainment. However, some serial cross-sectional studies have found greater reductions in HIV prevalence among more educated groups, especially in cohorts of young adults. More recent studies have found some instances where higher schooling levels are associated with lower HIV prevalence.