Child mortality associated with maternal HIV status: a retrospective analysis in Rwanda, 2005-2015

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Epidemiology
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Child mortality remains a critical global health challenge, particularly in regions heavily impacted by HIV/AIDS.
• Rwanda has experienced a significant scale-up of HIV treatment programs between 2005 and 2015.
• Understanding the relationship between maternal HIV status and child mortality is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess trends in child mortality rates in Rwanda from 2005 to 2015.
• To evaluate the association between maternal HIV status and under-2 child mortality during this period.
• To identify independent predictors of under-2 mortality, stratified by maternal HIV status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2005, 2010, and 2015 Rwanda Demographic Health Surveys.
• Calculated under-2 mortality rates by survey year and maternal HIV status.
• Employed multivariable logistic regression to model predictors of under-2 mortality.

Main Results:

• Child mortality rates declined significantly for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers by 2015.
• Children born to mothers with HIV had higher mortality odds (AOR 2.09) compared to HIV-negative mothers in the pooled analysis.
• Independent predictors of reduced child mortality included higher maternal education and increased use of contraceptives.

Conclusions:

• Rwanda achieved a substantial reduction in under-2 child mortality between 2005 and 2015.
• The decline in mortality was observed across children born to both HIV-positive and HIV-negative mothers.
• Maternal education and contraceptive use were associated with decreased child mortality.