Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies 2007-2012

Hlabisa sub-district within Umkhanyakude district

What is the Africa Centre?

Africa Centr

e

University of KwaZulu-Natal

College of Health Sciences

Governing CommitteeChair : Vice-Chancellor

Members: MRC, University, Community

Research Ethics Committee

UKZNResearch

Committee DoH

Service ProvidersDept of Health•Hlabisa Hospital & sub-district•Umkhanyakude Health DistrictDept of EducationDept of Welfare

AuthoritiesUmkhanyakude District Municipality•Hlabisa Municipality•Mtubatuba MunicipalityTribal Authority

Community Advisory Board

•Ward Committee Representative•Isigodi Representative

How is research conducted?

Africa Centre

Community-based Research

Surveillance areaMobile teams – Household consent, Individual written consent

Facility-based ResearchIn partnership with public service providersLinked to capacity enhancement of public service

Community LiaisonDedicated CLO teamIntegrated communications strategyCapacity building of community members

Policy LiaisonDedicated PL OfficerUnderstanding research needs of policy makersCommunicating research results

Africa Centre HIV research• To improve understanding of HIV

dynamics and the impact of ART roll-out• To identify approaches to and target

groups for interventions• To evaluate interventions to prevent

transmission and acquisition of HIV• To implement and further evaluate HIV

treatment and prevention programmes

Africa Centre Demographic Information System (ACDIS)

• Started in Jan 2000• About 90,000 household members• Approximately 11,000 households• 2 rounds per year• Routine data collection

– Births– Deaths verbal autopsy– Migration– Additional demographic and health

dataEconomic data collected once a year

See Int J Epidemiology 2007, Nov 12

HIV Surveillance (annual)

Household Visit

InformedConsent Sample Taking

From 2007 covers all those over 50 years of age

HIV prevalence and incidence; Impact of provision of ART; Sexual behaviour

HIV prevalence by age for male and female

residents• Overall, nearly 20% of the adult

population between the ages of 15 and 50 years are HIV infected

• The proportion of people infected varies by age, with the highest proportion among women of 25-29 year old (nearly 50%) and among men 30-34 year old (about 45%)

HIV treatment and care programme

• Department of Health and AC in partnership

• Began enrollment in October 2004, accelerated since early 2006

• Now has nearly 6000 people on ARV treatment, and several HIV-related activities within the programme

Africa Centre – public engagement

Africa Centre

Policy makers

Community

Community Advisory Board

Research communit

y

Traditonal Authority