PREVALENCE OF HIV-1 INFECTION IN URBAN, SEMIURBAN AND RURAL-AREAS IN ARUSHA REGION, TANZANIA

Objective: To estimate HIV-1 prevalence among the adult population in the Arusha region, northern Tanzania. Design: Cross-sectional study. M ethods: Clusters of 10 households were randomly selected from urban, s emi-urban and rural areas in the Arusha region. informed verbal consen t for participation in the interview and HIV-1 test were obtained from the respondents. HIV-1 antibodies were tested using enzyme-linked imm unosorbent assay (ELISA) and all ELISA-positive sera were confirmed us ing Western blot. Approximately 66.0% of the eligible registered adult s (aged 15-54 years) participated in the interview, of whom 56.6% prov ided blood samples for HIV-1 testing. Results: HIV-1 prevalence rates among the study population from the low and high socioeconomic status urban areas, semi-urban area and rural village were 10.7, 5.2, 2.2 and 1.6%, respectively. HIV-1 prevalence was significantly higher among w omen (6.5%) than men (1.7%), and infection rates were consistently hig her among women than men in all areas studied except in the rural vill age. Divorced and separated individuals had significantly higher HIV-1 prevalence (14.8%) compared with married and cohabiting individuals ( 4.0%). Significantly more individuals with multiple sexual partners re ported regular condom use (19.3%) than those with one sexual partner ( 6.4%). Conclusion: HIV-1 prevalence in the Arusha region was higher am ong the urban population than among the rural population. Women living in urban areas with low socioeconomic status appeared to be associate d with increased risk of HIV-1 infection.