The impact of HIV-AIDS on the health sector 2002: Adult data - All provinces in South Africa

Description:
The data set contains adult patients' data- demographic, morbidity, behavioural, environmental and data on health facilities (i.e. type, province and health district). Patient biographic data (age, sex, race, residence, nationality, language, type of dwelling, education, employment, income, religion, marital status, etc.). Data on history of hospitalisation of patient and data on patients health status like weight, STIs, pregnancy etc. and symptoms/diseases that had prompted patients to seek medical and health care. Behavioural data includes sexual partnerships, condom use, alcohol/ drug use and circumcision that predisposes one towards infection with HIV.
Environmental data on pollution, living on farms and access to clean drinking water and food as well as data on HIV status was collected.

The data contains 192 variables and 1534 cases.
Abstract:
The Nelson Mandela / HSRC study of HIV/AIDS (2002) reported an estimated prevalence of 4.5 million among persons aged two years and older. Given the overall impact of HIV/AIDS on South African society, and the need to make policies on the management of those living with the disease, it was important that studies were undertaken to provide data on the impact on the health system. This study was undertaken by the HSRC in collaboration with the national School of Public Health (NSPH) at the Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) and the Medical Research Council (MRC). It was commissioned by the National Department of Health (DoH) to assess the impact of HIV/AIDS on the health system and to understand its progressive impact over time.

The PIs sought to answer the following questions

To what extent does HIV/AIDS affect the health system?

What aspects or sub-systems are most affected?

How is the impact going to progress over time?

To answer the questions, a stratified cluster sample of 222 health facilities representative of the public and private sector in South Africa were drawn from the national DoH database on health facilities (1996). A nation-wide, representative sample of 2000 medical professionals including nursing professionals; other categories of nursing staff; other health professionals and non-professional health workers was obtained. In addition to this a representative probability sample of 2000 patients was obtained.

Data collection methods included interviews using questionnaires and clinical measurements where either a blood specimen or an oral fluid (Orasure) specimen was collected.

An anonymous linked HIV survey was conducted in the Free state, Mpumalanga, North West and Kwazulu-Natal. Oral fluids were tested for HIV antibodies at three different laboratories and results were linked with questionnaire data using barcodes.

The adult questionnaire contains the patient's biographical data, hospitalisation history of patients seen at clinics, in-patients interviewed in a hospital, health status, sexual behaviour and the environment.