| An analysis of non response in HIV testing in India: evidences from National Family Health Survey-3 |
| Authors: |
Shri Kant Singh |
| Source: |
Retrovirology, 7(Suppl 1):P135; DOI: http://www.retrovirology.com/content/7/S1/P135 |
| Topic(s): |
Data quality
HIV testing
Non-response bias
|
| Country: |
Asia
India
|
| Published: |
MAY 2010 |
| Abstract: |
Background
This paper aims to analyze biases in the community based
estimate of HIV prevalence in India due to non-response.
Methods
It uses NFHS-3 data, where community based HIV prevalence
has been derived by testing 103,000 adults as
part of national level household survey.
Results
Analysis of sexual behavior of the respondents in terms of
number of sexual partners in the last 12 months, condom
use with the last sexual partner and pattern of alcohol
consumption portrays relatively lower non response
among those reported to indulge in risky sexual behavior.
Women and men living in urban areas, completed atleast
10 years of schooling and coming from wealthier households
are significantly more likely than their respective
counterparts to refuse for HIV testing after participating
in the interview. The odds of refusals are 0.5 times less
likely among rural women and men (p < 0.001). Adult
men reporting two or more sexual partners in the last 12
months and women reporting not using condom in their
last sexual encounter are significantly less likely to refuse
HIV testing. HIV prevalence is predicted among those
who were not tested based on a model of HIV for those
who were tested. Separate predictions are made for the
“interviewed, not-tested” and “eligible, but not interviewed,
not-tested” groups. Adjusted HIV prevalence is calculated
as a weighted average of the observed prevalence in
the tested group and predicted prevalence in the two
non-tested groups. The missed population analysis uses
reasonable assumptions about HIV prevalence in the nonhousehold
population. Given the low HIV prevalence in
the general population, it is highly unlikely that the prevalence
in the missed population would exceed 10%. Even if
we assumed that the prevalence rate in the missed population
was as high as 10%, HIV prevalence in the total population
would increase from 0.3% to only 0.4%.
Discussion
On the basis of the adjusted values of these predictors,
the hypothesis of relationship between risky sexual
behaviour and non response in HIV testing is rejected
with 95% confidence interval and hence the non
response to HIV testing in NFHS-3 is not likely to
under estimate the HIV prevalence in India. |
| Web: |
https://retrovirology.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1742-4690-7-S1-P135?site=retrovirology.biomedcentral.com |
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