Current Projects » EC Seroprevalence Study, KAPB Study, and Risk Assessment of HIV and AIDS in the Higher Education Sector in South Africa

2007 – 2010

HIV/AIDS is a severe national problem in South Africa, with 5.7 million adults and children estimated to be living with HIV in 2007 representing 11.9% of the total population of 47.8 million (UNAIDS, 2008). Of the total population aged 15 years and older in 2007, 16.5% were estimated to be living with HIV. The higher education sector in South Africa has therefore been identified as a key focus area for HIV- and AIDS- related interventions as this sector forms the knowledge and skills base of the country and the age group most vulnerable to HIV infection is concentrated in tertiary institutions.

The primary aim of this project is “knowledge creation” to help reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS in the higher education institutions and to enable the higher education sub-sector to understand the threat posed by the HIV epidemic to its core mandate. A unique project was required to inform the sub-sector response in a meaningful way, particularly with regard to policy, funding, and implementation of prevention, treatment, care and support interventions.

In response, Futures Group designed a comprehensive research project, combining a seroprevalence study, a knowledge, attitude, practice, and behaviour (KAPB) study and a sub-sector-level risk assessment of the epidemic. The study was conducted in 21 of 22 higher education institutions that provide contact teaching, and included students, academic staff, and service and administration staff.

Key Outputs
• An HIV/AIDS seroprevalence study of a representative sample of 25 000 respondents, selected from academic and service staff and students at 21 of the 22 contact teaching Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in South Africa
• A Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Behaviour (KAPB) study of a representative sample of 25 000 academic and service staff and students in HEIs in South Africa
• A sub-sector level risk assessment of the impact of the HIV epidemic on the higher education sub-sector, drawn from the results of the seroprevalence and KAPB studies

This was the first study in Southern Africa to combine a seroprevalence and behaviour study across these three groups within a university setting. Futures Group, in consortium with Centre for AIDS Development, Research, and Evaluation and Epicentre, is implementing the programme, developed within the context of the Higher Education HIV and AIDS Initiative (HEAIDS) and funded by the European Commission.

Data collection was completed at the end of February 2009 and achieved 94% of the sample target of 25,000 staff and students. Subsequently the data has been cleaned, weighted and analysed and individual reports written for each of the 21 institutions. A sub-sector report and risk analysis were also written providing an analysis of the data collected, and making recommendations. The reports include vital information which will allow the Higher Education sub-sector to design, develop and implement long-term strategies and interventions, informed not only by an in-depth knowledge of the HIV seroprevalence in its institutions, but which are cognizant of the various factors that fuel the epidemic. It is expected that the results of the study will be disseminated by HESA towards the middle of 2010.