Sociology and behaviour of West African blood donors: the impact of religion on human immunodeficiency virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
Ghana is one of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa where the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence in blood donors ranges between 1 and 4%. Considering the social importance of religion and the very high level of religious practice observed in Ghana, the hypothesis that these factors may play a role in containing HIV was tested.


METHODS
Consenting HIV-infected candidate blood donors, and two age- and gender-matched seronegative control donors, were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their religious and sexual behaviour. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was used.


RESULTS
Irrespective of their HIV status or religion, 95% of the respondents believed that extra-marital sex was a sin, and 79% of those tempted to have an extra-marital affair considered that their religious beliefs helped them to abstain. In the multivariable models, having a formal role in church activities was associated with reduced odds of HIV [odds ratio (OR) = 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.21-0.80]. Worshipping at the same location for more than 20 years was associated with a reduced risk (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.08-1.10). In addition to other factors limiting HIV spread, such as male circumcision, relatively high level of education and an absence of armed conflicts in Ghana, the use of condoms conferred a reduced risk.


CONCLUSIONS
An active role in religion, and reporting a lengthy duration of worship at the same place was beneficial. Collecting blood at places of worship with a strict behavioural code and from donors practicing in the community of their birth might improve blood safety.
Allain
J-P
JP
Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. jpa1000@cam.ac.uk
Anokwa
M
M
Casbard
A
A
Owusu-Ofori
S
S
Dennis-Antwi
J
J
D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012067:Religion; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D012961:Sociology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires