Capturing the spatial variability of HIV epidemics in South Africa and Tanzania using routine healthcare facility data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Large geographical variations in the intensity of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa call for geographically targeted resource allocation where burdens are greatest. However, data available for mapping the geographic variability of HIV prevalence and detecting HIV 'hotspots' is scarce, and population-based surveillance data are not always available. Here, we evaluated the viability of using clinic-based HIV prevalence data to measure the spatial variability of HIV in South Africa and Tanzania.

Methods

Population-based and clinic-based HIV data from a small HIV hyper-endemic rural community in South Africa as well as for the country of Tanzania were used to map smoothed HIV prevalence using kernel interpolation techniques. Spatial variables were included in cli

SUBMITTER: Cuadros DF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6042209 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature