Hiv/aids and Fertility Patterns in Kenya

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of HIV/AIDS on fertility patterns among women of reproductive age (15-49) years. The study considered the effect of HIV/AIDS perceived risk of infection and its prevalence rate on fertility patterns as measured in terms of the number of children ever born, ideal number of children and desire for more children. The study also considered the effect of selected key fertility determinants on HIV/AIDS perceived risk of infection. The study utilized the 1998 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) data. which was a national survey. Of great importance here was the women's questionnaire that the survey used to collect information on women. Also the study used the 1999 T-I1V-sentinel surveillance data on prevalence rates as compiled by ational AIDS and STls Control Programme ASCOP) basing on H[V test results of women clinic attendants from various sites in selected districts in Kenya. The two data sets were merged far the 16 selected districts considered in both cases. To analyse the data, multiple linear and logistic regression were used for an in-depth analysis of the impact of key fertility determinants, contraceptive use and HIV/AIDS perceived risk of infection on fertility patterns. In the case of prevalence rate. simple cross-tabulations were used to establish possible differences in fertility patterns by zonal prevalence categories. Cross-tabulations were also employed to gauge the effect of key fertility determinants on HfV/AIDS perceived risk of infection. In analysing the effect of the key fertility determinants