The cost of HIV/AIDS-related morbidity and mortality to households: Preliminary estimates for Soweto

V Naidu,G Harris

doi:10.4102/sajems.v9i3.1095

Abstract

This article has two main aims: to provide data on the cost of HIV/AIDS to urban South African households and to contribute to the development of a methodology that could be used in later studies. Data on the costs of HIV/AIDS-related morbidity and mortality were collected from a purposively selected sample of households in Soweto on four occasions between September 2002 and August 2003. The sample comprised 61 affected households, which had at least one member with a CD4 count of 200 or less at the start of the study, and 52 non-affected households. Three types of costs were examined – financial, economic and the present value of lost future earnings. The data suggest that the financial costs of morbidity and mortality were three and two times greater, respectively, for affected households than for those non-affected households that reported disease and/or death. Mortality costs far exceeded morbidity costs. The present value of lost future earnings, where the deceased had previously been an income earner, proved to be the major cost incurred by an affected household.

Highlights

Research methodsDespite the fact that between five and six million South Africans are HIV-positive (UNAIDS, 2006), there have been very few studies of the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on South African households
The present study had two main aims: to provide more data on the impact of HIV/AIDS on urban South African households, and to contribute to the development of a methodology that can be used in later studies
Given that our households were not randomly selected, tests of significance can not legitimately be used and apparent differences between the two groups of households may not represent real differences. It might be questioned whether the apparent costs of HIV/AIDS to affected households, that we identify, might be a consequence of differences between the households in the two groups, e.g. in their size, age composition or economic circumstances

Summary

Introduction

Despite the fact that between five and six million South Africans are HIV-positive (UNAIDS, 2006), there have been very few studies of the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on South African households. The present study had two main aims: to provide more data on the impact of HIV/AIDS on urban South African households, and to contribute to the development of a methodology that can be used in later studies. Potential households were identified from women who attended public antenatal clinics in Soweto or the HIV clinic at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Public health practitioners assisted in selecting the households, based on the willingness of patients to be tested for HIV and to participate in the study. The study began with 125 households, of which 113 (61 in the affected cohort and 52 in the non-affected cohort) were followed between September 2002 and August 2003

Results

Discussion

Conclusion