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INDEPTH NETWORK Field Strategies for Population-based HIV Surveillance Africa Centre, Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Date: 29 September - 1 October 2003
Background: Longitudinal population-based HIV studies are taking place in several African countries. Data from these settings - in particular from Uganda - has contributed much of what is known about the epidemiology of HIV in Africa. Population-based HIV data from other African sites can add to the understanding of the complex dynamics of the epidemic in different populations and the epidemiology of different viral subtypes. This local HIV surveillance data can help in-country policy-makers to respond appropriately to the epidemic by identifying trends in infection patterns and high-risk groups. It can also help to validate HIV prevalence data and trends obtained from sentinel surveillance programs, for instance by calibrating ante-natal surveillance data to population-based data from the same setting.
Models derived from population-based HIV surveillance data, especially if obtained longitudinally, could have important predictive value for specific countries. At the INDEPTH Annual General meeting held in Accra, Ghana in January 2003 several sites expressed an interest in starting HIV surveillance as part of their demographic surveillance. It was felt that a meeting to share experiences between sites already doing surveillance and those interested in applying for funds to do so would be very valuable.
Objectives Sites already engaged in population-based HIV surveillance / studies would share their experience with sites that hope to implement population-based surveillance in an effort to ensure sites that will undertake surveillance don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Presentations from ongoing study sites will cover the following issues:
- Research objectives of surveillance - Design of surveillance programmes - VCT policies - Participation rates and community acceptance - Laboratory methods - Personnel and training requirements and training needs - Database and delivery of results – including management of specimens and the use of handhelds - Confidentiality protection and other ethical issues - What sites would do differently if given the benefit of hindsight.
At the end of the meeting, sites planning to embark on population-based HIV surveillance / studies will be better equipped to apply for funding and implement such surveillance.
Expected Outcome
Participants Drawn from INDEPTH member-sites
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