Source: thehindubusinessline.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With over two million HIV infected individuals, India is home to \none-third of the world\u2019s HIV population. Although the national level \ndata shows a downward trend, the decline is not uniform across states \nand districts. A new study has found that underlying factors for the \nepidemic also vary from region to region, and region-specific strategies\n may be necessary for HIV control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is high prevalence of HIV\n in 63 districts in South and North-east regions of the country, the \nstudy has found. Of them, \u201cbetter developed, urbanised districts with \nlarge population size, better socio-economic status of population are \nmore likely to have consistently high HIV prevalence levels.\u201d While \nplanning HIV control strategies, the focus should be on districts which \nare showing signs of rapid urbanisation and socio-economic development, \nthe study has suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The factors responsible for the epidemic \nare complex and can be contrasting for different regions, restricting \nthe use of a single approach for HIV control nationally. Therefore, \ncontinuous monitoring for prevalence and causes of disease at the \ndistrict level is necessary for making control programs more effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers\n used data from 2011 Census, HIV Sentinel Surveillance programme and \nDistrict Level Household Survey-III and analysed trends from 2007 to \n2012 in 640 districts. They correlated HIV prevalence with fourteen \nfactors broadly belonging to categories – population profile; \nsocio-economic factors; HIV and sexually transmitted infections, \nawareness and condom usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The analysis revealed that districts \nwith high literacy, better socio-economic status, and higher proportion \nof population in reproductive age group and late marriages had \nconsistently high HIV prevalence in all the regions except in southern \nstates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elaborating on this trend, researchers explained that \noften young educated individuals move to urban areas for better \nopportunities and are separated from family. With better income, they \nare ready to explore and often have sexual encounters with multiple \npartners before they get married. This increases chances of HIV. \nResearchers believe that since south India was first to face HIV \nupsurge, the HIV epidemic has evolved over time in these states, \ntherefore not affected by factors like better socio-economic indicators \nlike in other states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur study has highlighted inter-regional \nvariations in factors responsible for HIV prevalence. While implementing\n common strategies for prevention and control of HIV\/ AIDS at the \nnational level, additional regional approaches may also be necessary,\u201d \nexplained Dr Rajneesh Joshi, who conducted the study at Pune-based \nICMR-National AIDS Research Institute while on a study leave from the \nIndian army where he is working as a public health specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\n study also found that higher knowledge levels about the role of condom \nuse for HIV prevention as well as the use of condoms correlates with \nreduced HIV cases in districts. However, high literacy and awareness \nabout HIV\/AIDS alone does not mean better low HIV prevalence, \nsupplementing this knowledge with HIV prevention methods can only reduce\n the cases of HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cResults of this study have been communicated \nto the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). We will continue our \nanalysis to track the scenario following the introduction of test and \ntreat policy by the program,\u201d informed Dr Joshi while speaking to India \nScience Wire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study, among other things, has highlighted that \nthe districts which are rapidly progressing towards urbanization and \nsocio-economic development may see an increase in the number of HIV \ncases. The study further advocates the need to raise awareness of HIV \nprevention and use of condoms along with HIV in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research team included Dr Sanjay M. Mehendale of Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi apart from Dr Rajneesh. The research published in the journal Plos One. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Source: thehindubusinessline.com With over two million HIV infected individuals, India is home to one-third of the world\u2019s HIV population. Although […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[405,407,52,409,408,410,406],"class_list":["post-223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aids-hiv","tag-developed","tag-districts","tag-hiv","tag-population","tag-prevalence","tag-socio-economic","tag-urbanised"],"yoast_head":"\n