Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109007

Chinekwu Obidoa, MA, MPH (ABD), Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030, 860-841-7900, chinekwuobidoa@yahoo.co.uk and Robert. Cromley, PhD, Department of Geography, University of Connecticut, 215 Glenbrook Rd, CLAS Building, Storrs, CT 06269.

Within the gradually accumulating literature on the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in Nigeria, investigations concerning the spatial dimensions of the infection are virtually non-existent. An understanding of the spatial dimensions of the epidemic is central in the development and implementation of appropriate intervention strategies. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic advances towards its third decade and continues to spread rapidly in Nigeria, there is a need to assess the spatial dimensions of the epidemic in the country. This study presents a geographical analysis of HIV/AIDS infection in Nigeria from 1991 – 2001. The four objectives of this study were: 1) to examine how HIV/AIDS surveillance has been conducted in Nigeria, 2) to examine the geographic pattern of the epidemic, 3) to examine the spatial-temporal trend and diffusion pattern of the epidemic, and 4) to explore the factors associated with the spatial variation of the infection. A cartographic analysis revealed distinctive regional differences in the spatial pattern and intensity of AIDS within the country. Spatial autocorrelation analyses indicated that HIV/AIDS rates were strongly spatially autocorrelated over small as well as on a large spatial scale. The epidemic's epicenter was located in a narrow contiguous band bypassed by a major highway. The diffusion processes indicated a general trend of increasing spread to rural Nigeria. Spatial and cartographic evaluation of the spatial variation of bio-medical, socio-behavioral, socio-cultural and locational risk factors associated with HIV/AIDS revealed that the risk of HIV/AIDS is not higher or restricted to the most affected region.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Determine and analyze the pattern of the HIV/AIDS infection at any level of aggregration
• Assess the trend and diffusion of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• Evaluate the predictors of HIV/AIDS infection spatially at different levels of aggregation

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Surveillance

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.