Demographic predictors of HIV serostatus among HIV counseling and testing clients in rural Nigeria

Nnewi is a rural Nigerian town with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing center which tests about 120 clients/d. The objective of this study is to determine the factors predicting positive HIV status at Nnewi. Review of records was done with age, gender, marital status, and occupation as variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors linked to a positive HIV test. Overall HIV prevalence was 31.14%. Drivers and married clients had a high risk of being HIV+ (odds ratio [OR], 3.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.17-5.96 and OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 2.42-3.19). Housewives were 2 times more likely to be positive (OR, 2.11; 95% CI, 1.35-3.29). After adjustment, females had 22% higher risk (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03-1.45) with the highest chance found in married females (OR, 6.70; 95% CI, 4.45-10.09). The study succeeded in panning out an unexpected risk group: married women. Drivers have been known to be a risk group. Preventive methods must be tailored to and acceptable by each risk group.