Twenty-five years after the discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV), millions of people in developing countries still do not understand how
the virus is transmitted or how they can protect themselves from it. For the
past five years, the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) project, with
primary funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has
been collecting nationally representative data to better understand the
dynamics of the epidemic in less developed countries.


    The results from recent DHS underscore the complex challenges facing
health ministries and international organizations as they struggle to stop
the spread of HIV and its consequences.


    
    - In Nepal, preliminary results show that more than 40% of women and 20%
      of men have not heard of HIV/AIDS.

    - In Vietnam, 40% of women and 35% of men believe mosquitoes can transmit
      HIV.

    - In Ethiopia, only 40% of women and 64% of men know condoms reduce the
      risk of getting HIV during sexual intercourse.

    - In Zimbabwe, 50% of women and 30% of men did not use a condom the last
      time they had sexual intercourse with a partner they did not live with.
      Preliminary results show that 18% of adults in Zimbabwe are HIV
      positive.

    - In Colombia, 40% of women believe that a person with HIV/AIDS can be
      fired from his or her job.




    To better understand why millions of people are still contracting HIV,
DHS scientists are analyzing data from multiple countries to identify factors
that may contribute to a person's chance of acquiring HIV. Research is
ongoing on the potential effects of wealth, circumcision, number of sexual
partners, knowledge of prevention methods, and prevalence of other sexually
transmitted infections. Most recent DHS surveys also include estimates of HIV
prevalence.


    In countries like Tanzania, DHS staff is using Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) to help plan the location of HIV prevention and care programs.
Researchers use GIS to map where HIV positive people live in relation to
health care services, national borders, major highways, and trucking routes.
This detailed picture contributes to a better understanding of the epidemic,
and how to slow its spread.


    Currently, MEASURE DHS has more than 20 surveys underway in Africa and
Asia that will provide new information about HIV/AIDS. Reports from 16
countries have already been produced that report on HIV prevalence. In early
2007, DHS will release new HIV/AIDS prevalence figures for India, Cambodia,
Haiti and the Ivory Coast. Mr. Martin Vaessen, Project Director DHS, and Dr.
Bernard Barrere, HIV/AIDS Coordinator for the DHS project, are available for
interviews about DHS surveys. To arrange interviews, or to be added to our
publications alerts list, please contact Megan Meline.


    DHS reports, fact sheets, and data sets can be downloaded free of charge
from the DHS Measure website http://www.measuredhs.com. Researchers worldwide
analyze DHS data to help develop effective health policies and projects.



    About MEASURE DHS


    Administered by ORC Macro, the MEASURE DHS project helps developing
countries collect demographic and health survey data by conducting individual
interviews in peoples' homes. DHS surveys are nationally-representative
household surveys and have large sample sizes (usually between 5,000 and
30,000 households). Long considered the "gold standard" for measuring health
and HIV/AIDS status in developing countries, the DHS program is funded by the
U.S. Agency for International Development and the Office of the Global AIDS
Coordinator with major contributions from other donors, including UNICEF,
UNFPA, the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, and the government of Great
Britain. International organizations, including UNAIDS and the World Health
Organization, regularly incorporate DHS data into their reports and analyses
of health issues.


    
    Web site: http://www.orcmacro.com
              http://www.measuredhs.com



Source: MEASURE DHS

Megan Meline of ORC Macro, +1-301-572-0931, or megan.d.meline@orcmacro.com