Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, Vol. Coutinho 3,4 , and Nicole H. Dukers 1,3. Correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed to: Dr. The study was conducted to determine the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors for HIV infection among factory workers at two sites in Ethiopia. During February December , a structured questionnaire was used for obtaining information on sociodemographics, sexual behaviour, and reported sexually transmitted infections STIs from a cohort of 1, individuals.
The overall baseline prevalence of HIV was 9. The risk factors specific for males were being orthodox Christian, having had a higher lifetime number of sexual partners, and genital discharge in the past five years. The risk factors for females, included low income, one or more rape s over lifetime, and casual sex in the last year.
The overall incidence of HIV infection was 0. The highest rate of incidence was observed among young women aged less than 30 years 1 per person-years. The study confirmed that high-risk sexual behaviour and STIs play major roles in the spread of HIV infection in the Ethiopians of both the sexes, but the factors, such as rape and low economic status, make women more vulnerable than men.
The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus HIV infection in Ethiopia has increased rapidly over the past 15 years. The first cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS were diagnosed in hospitals of Addis Ababa, the capital city, in 1.
In , only 4. One cohort is located in a fibre products factory at Akaki, a suburb of Addis Ababa, and the other one at Wonji, a sugar estate, km southeast of Addis Ababa. Both the cohorts have followed the same procedures, which were detailed elsewhere 10 and summarized below. At general information meetings, factory workers of both the sexes were invited to join the study, and they subsequently underwent HIV testing.
