HIV Incidence Among Women of Reproductive Age in Malawi and Zimbabwe

With the objective of determining the incidence of HIV-1, the researchers conducted a multisite study in Malawi and Zimbabwe to inform HIV prevention and vaccine trials. Women of reproductive age were enrolled in a prospective study and received five intensive HIV counseling and condom promotion sessions over two months. Subsequently, HIV-negative women completed quarterly follow-up visits. HIV incidence rates and predictors of HIV acquisition were assessed.

In all, 2,016 HIV-negative women were enrolled in the condom-promotion and counseling phase of the study. Of those, 1,679 were tested for HIV during follow-up and 113 seroconverted, resulting in an overall HIV incidence rate of 4.7 per 100 women-years (95 percent confidence interval = 3.8-5.6). Incidence rates across sites were similar. The major predictors of HIV acquisition were young age, presence of sexually transmitted infections, being unmarried and higher educational level.

"The incidence of HIV continues to be high among women in both Malawi and Zimbabwe despite counseling and condom promotion," the authors concluded.

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