The Role of Health Care in the Spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa: Evidence From Kenya

Stuart Brody of the University of Paisley in Scotland and Eva Deuchert of the University of Freiburg in Germany analyzed data from the 2003 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 1,620 pregnant women who did not report being HIV-positive prior to receiving neonatal tetanus-toxoid shots, the Washington Times reports. The researchers found that the pregnant women who received a tetanus shots were almost twice as likely to subsequently test HIV-positive, compared with those who did not receive a tetanus shot. According to Brody, the findings of the study and previous studies provide "mounting evidence" that health organizations are "misguided" in focusing HIV-prevention efforts on a strategy that promotes safer sex. George Schmid, a senior researcher for the World Health Organization's HIV/AIDS Department, questioned the study's design and findings. According to Schmid, less than 5% of infections worldwide are transmitted by unsafe injections (Bawa, Washington Times, 11/1). The study authors recommend that health care resources be reallocated to address health care-related HIV transmission (Brody/Deuchert, International Journal of STD and AIDS, November 2006).

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