Djibo Djeneba Audrey, Sahr Foday, McCutchan J Allen, Jain Sonia, Araneta Maria Rosario G, Brodine Stephanie K, Shaffer Richard A
Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Naval Health Research Center, 140 Sylvester Road, San Diego, CA 92106, United States.
Curr HIV Res. 2017;15(2):128-136. doi: 10.2174/1570162X15666170517101349.
HIV and syphilis infections are common in military personnel in sub-Saharan Africa, which impact combat preparedness and increase demands on the military health care system. The prevalence of HIV is estimated at 1.5% among the general population (15-49 years of age) of Sierra Leone, and the estimated syphilis prevalence ranged from 1.5% to 5.2% based on regional studies. We examined the prevalence and risk factors for these two common sexually transmitted infections in the Sierra Leone military personnel.
This cross-sectional study examined 1157 randomly selected soldiers from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces in 2013 using computer-assisted personal interviews and rapid testing algorithms. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were implemented to identify risk factors for HIV and syphilis separately.
The mean age of participants was 38 years, 11.1% were female, and 86.5% were married. The seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis were 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.3%-4.3%) and 7.3% (95% CI: 5.9%-8.8%), respectively. Lower educational attainment in women, multiple sexual partners, unintended sex after alcohol use and use of condoms were independently associated with HIV status (p<0.05). After adjustment, HIV infection was associated with female gender, unintended sex after alcohol use, condom use at last sex, having multiple sexual partnerships in the same week and HIV testing outside of military facilities (p<0.05). Increasing age, positive HIV status and rural regions of residence were associated with syphilis seropositivity.
The prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among military personnel was higher than the general population of Sierra Leone. Several high-risk sexual behaviors that expose soldiers to HIV and syphilis could be addressed through prevention interventions.
在撒哈拉以南非洲的军事人员中，艾滋病毒和梅毒感染很常见，这影响了作战准备，并增加了军事医疗系统的负担。据估计，在塞拉利昂15至49岁的普通人群中，艾滋病毒的流行率为1.5%，根据区域研究，梅毒的估计流行率在1.5%至5.2%之间。我们研究了塞拉利昂军事人员中这两种常见性传播感染的流行率和危险因素。
这项横断面研究于2013年对从塞拉利昂共和国武装部队中随机抽取的1157名士兵进行了调查，采用计算机辅助个人访谈和快速检测算法。实施描述性统计和逻辑回归模型分别确定艾滋病毒和梅毒的危险因素。
参与者的平均年龄为38岁，11.1%为女性，86.5%已婚。艾滋病毒和梅毒的血清阳性率分别为3.3%（95%置信区间[CI]：2.3%-4.3%）和7.3%（95%CI：5.9%-8.8%）。女性教育程度较低、多个性伴侣、饮酒后意外性行为和使用避孕套与艾滋病毒感染状况独立相关（p<0.05）。调整后，艾滋病毒感染与女性性别、饮酒后意外性行为、最后一次性行为时使用避孕套、同一周内有多个性伴侣以及在军事设施外进行艾滋病毒检测有关（p<0.05）。年龄增加、艾滋病毒阳性状态和农村居住地区与梅毒血清阳性有关。
军事人员中性传播感染的流行率高于塞拉利昂的普通人群。通过预防干预措施可以解决一些使士兵面临艾滋病毒和梅毒感染风险的高风险性行为。
