Systematic review: risk factors of HIV/AIDS on young women in Africa

Abstract

Background:

As many studies, women are more vulnerable to contract HIV through sex behavior than men from women. The low status of women also make women are more at risk of infecting with HIV. South Africa now is one of the most rapidly growing HIV epidemics in the world. In Africa, 74% of youth who get HIV/AIDS are young women and young girls. In 2005, there were 16.9 per cent women aged 15-24 years got HIV and only 4.4% men got HIV in South Africa.

Objective:

To identify the main internal risk factors and interventions/external factors of HIV/AIDS on young women in Africa.

Data Source:

Pub Med, Medline and Cochrane Library were searched for English articles from 1990 to

2011. (Keywords: HIV, AIDS, young women or girl or adolescent girl.)

Results:

Initial search produced 2888 articles. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 9 articles were for the final systematic review. 5 papers were about risk factors of HIV/AIDS and 4 papers were about the interventions or the factors influenced the risk factors. We identified four risk factors: intimate partner violence (IPV) and relationship power inequity, number of partners and last sexual activities, age of partner, alcohol consumption before sex. Two interventions/external factors: Microfinance with gender and HIV training curriculum and SES neighborhoods (Community level).

Conclusions:

We have two policy implications. First, we should ensure that preventive services, including education of young women have more accessibility. Secondly, because many young women who with older men have sex were more likely to infect with HIV, Therefore, we should make greater efforts to encourage them to adopt safer behavior. As the man play leading role in Africa, our prevention programs should focus more on men.