title: HIV infection among women admitted to the gynaecology service of a district hospital in South Africa.
abstract: Our objective was to determine the prevalence of HIV infection and disease-specific HIV prevalence among women admitted to the gynaecology service of a district hospital in South Africa over a 3-month period in 1997. This was done with the goal of developing HIV education and counselling services in this setting. HIV status was determined among 196 (96%) of 205 consecutive admissions; 82 (42%) tested HIV positive. The HIV-infected women were younger than the HIV uninfected women (mean age 27 vs 33 years, P=0.001). The disease-specific HIV prevalence was > or = 40% among women who had had abortions, pelvic inflammatory disease, or ectopic pregnancy. The length of hospital stay (mean 5.4 days) and mortality (1%) were similar in the 2 groups. Inpatient gynaecology services may be an important setting in Africa, within which to provide HIV education, counselling and care.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epidemiological Research in South Africa, Medical Research Council. david.wilkinson@unisa.edu.au
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Connolly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology