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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Ryan J. Coller, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health & School of Medicine, 5801 Smith Avenue, Suite 3220, Baltimore, MD 21209, Karen P. Menendez, MPH, Department of Population & Family Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room W4510, Baltimore, MD 21205, 443-676-9996, kmenende@jhsph.edu, and Alexander Vu, MD, MPH, Department of Emegency Medicine, Center for Refugee and Disaster Response, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health & School of Medicine, 5801 Smith Avenue, Suite 3220, Baltimore, MD 21209.

The objective of this study is to define and identify households made vulnerable from the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and assess their support using data collected in May of 2004, in Chicualacuala district of Mozambique. Vulnerable households were defined as those caring for chronically ill adults or orphans, headed by children or elderly persons, or with an adult death in the past three months. A two stage cluster sampling was utilized: 30 random clusters were chosen based on probability proportional to population size and 7 households per cluster randomly surveyed after meeting at least one vulnerability criterion (N=210 households). Bivariate and logistic regressions were used to estimate the association of household vulnerability and support during the previous month. Over two-thirds of households were vulnerable due to multiple causes. Fewer than 1% of households received water or firewood, and 14% received support in the form of a home visit. Home visit support was positively associated with households caring for someone chronically ill (OR=2.3; CI: 0.97, 5.46) and negatively associated with those headed by elderly (OR=0.38; CI: 0.13, 1.14). Among households with children, home visit support was reduced by 75% (OR=0.24; CI: 0.10, 0.57). Adjusting for children attenuated the associations between home visit support and households with chronically ill people and those headed by elderly persons. Households with children, chronically ill and those headed by elderly persons may represent particularly vulnerable subsets. Researchers should continue to focus on vulnerability at the household level, and the impact of household structure on vulnerability and support.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to

• Understand the complexity of defining vulnerable households.
• Identify different forms of vulnerability and support among households in rural Mozambique.
• Recognize that different forms of vulnerability due to household structure may be associated with different sources of support.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered