120 likes | 383 Views
Treating HIV infected mothers benefits children under-5 years of age: evidence from rural, high HIV prevalence South Africa. James Ndirangu Marie-Louise Newell Claire Thorne Ruth Bland. Background. Globally, reducing child mortality remains a major public health priority – MDG 4
E N D
Treating HIV infected mothers benefits children under-5 years of age: evidence from rural, high HIV prevalence South Africa James Ndirangu Marie-Louise Newell Claire Thorne Ruth Bland
Background • Globally, reducing child mortality remains a major public health priority – MDG 4 • Maternal HIV affects child mortality through vertical transmission or maternal ill-health • Recent evidence shows that ART contributes to a decline in adult and child mortality at a population level
Yearly percentage decline in U5MR 1990-2010 SA: 5.7 million people living with HIV in 2009; 1 out of 3 women aged 25-29 Source: Rajaratnam J.K. et al. Lancet 2010
Objectives • We investigated under-5 mortality and quantified the association between maternal survival and child mortality, by linking mother and child records from demographic surveillance and an HIV treatment programme
Methods – Data Source HIV treatment (ART) programme (~40% of patients on ART live in the surveillance area) 774 women on ART were matched, of whom ~300 had initiated within 5 years post-delivery 2002-2004 PMTCT (sdNVP) & IF 2000-2001 2005-2007 HIV treatment (ART) programme Late 2004 N=2,172 women on ART 2006
Variables • Outcome variable was child mortality • Maternal HIV status from surveillance data was classified as: HIV-negative: negative at birth and throughout 5 years post-delivery HIV-positive or unknown status: - Not-initiated – mothers never initiated on ART - Initiated – mothers initiated on ART < 5 years post-delivery
Estimated unadjusted U5MR by maternal ART status; for women of HIV positive/unknown status
Multivariable analysis Adjusting for: multipregnancy, birth order, delivery location, birth area, household assets, birth season, maternal age, mat education, previous fetal death, previous child death, and residency status
Conclusion • The U5MR decline occurred despite continuing high HIV incidence and prevalence • This highlights the importance of maternal HIV treatment with benefits of improved survival in all children under-5 years of age • Urgency in scaling up HIV treatment programmes is necessary to realise MDG4 by 2015