Demographic pattern of parents of HIV infected and exposed children

Abstract

AimWhether children born to HIV infected parents belong to a particular parental occupation or a particular locality in Mumbai is not known. We thus undertook this study to determine whether parental occupation or residence is associated with increased risk of HIV. Study designRetrospective study. SettingPediatric HIV Clinic at a tertiary hospital, Mumbai. Methods and materialsAll HIV exposed infants and HIV infected children who were referred to the Pediatric HIV Clinic over a period over 20 months were included in the study. Parents HIV status and their occupation and residential area was determined. Incidence of HIV in parents, in various occupations and in different areas of Mumbai was analyzed. ResultsAmong the fathers, 123 (60%) were HIV infected, 37 (18%) were HIV negative and in 45 (22%) the HIV status was not known. Among the mothers, 171 (83.4%) were HIV infected, 4 (2%) were HIV negative and in 30 (14.7%) the HIV status was not known. Among the fathers, 24 (59%) businessmen, 26 (59%) contract workers, 16 (53%) clerks, 18 (72%) drivers, 12 (67%) laborers were HIV infected, 12 (75%) government workers, 3 (60%) tailors and 1 (50%) teacher were HIV infected. Among the mothers, 152 (88%) housewives, 7 (100%) clerks, 3 (75%) teachers were HIV infected, 2 (67%) laborers and maid servants each and 1 (100%) each bar girl and tailor respectively were HIV infected. There was no difference in HIV status between housewives and non-housewives (p=0.135). HIV status among fathers' and their occupation was also similar. As per their residence, 65 families (32.5%) stayed in eastern suburbs, 63 (31.5%) stayed in Western suburbs, 42 (21%) stayed in Central Mumbai, 20 (10%) stayed in other cities, and 5 each (10%) stayed in South Mumbai and New Bombay. Again the HIV status was not specific to any residential area. ConclusionHIV in families in not restricted to any particular parental occupation or in any particular areas in Mumbai.