[Social and family characteristics in children born to women infected by the human immunodeficiency virus].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the social and family characteristics of children born to women infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As secondary objectives, to analyse their schooling and the number of hospital admissions and lengths of stay that these children required.


METHODS
A prospective observation study.


METHODS
HIV unit in a children's hospital.


METHODS



METHODS
all the children recruited from the HIV unit who had their infection status defined during the study period, understood as between the first known case in 1985 and April 1994. The sample included 177 children (62 HIV-infected and 115 not infected).


RESULTS
Through an interview the social, family and school variables were collected. On comparison between infected and non-infected children, there were no important differences as to the lack of protection of the new-born (8.1% vs 13%), scant mother-child relationship (31.2% vs 36.5%) or people responsible for the custody of these children. Less schooling and greater problems of school integration were detected in infected cases, with odds ratios of 2.68 (p = 0.004) and 11.36 (p = 0.004), respectively. Children infected also needed more admissions (4.3 +/- 5.7) than the non-infected (1.7 +/- 0.9) (p = 0.001), and more days of hospital stay (75.1 +/- 110.3 vs 23.3 +/- 19.6) (p = 0.0003).


CONCLUSIONS
Infected children and non-infected children had similar social and family characteristics. However, less schooling, problems of school integration, and more and longer hospital admissions were related to HIV infection in children, and not so much to their status as children of seropositive mothers.
Sanz Aliaga
S A
SA
Universitat de Valencia, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia. ssanz@medynet.com
Sancho Izquierdo
E
E
Asensi Botet
F
F
Otero Reigada
M C
MC
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors