Leaving no one behind: Disability and HIV prevention, knowledge among adults in a population cohort in Uganda

Abstract

Background: People with disability are a vulnerable population and are at a high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.

Objectives: We investigated the association between severity of disability and not having knowledge of any HIV prevention method among adults in Uganda.

Method: Between January 2015 and December 2015, data were collected within a general population in Uganda, on six domains of disability based on the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning. In addition, routine data on socio-demographic factors and other HIV-related data were collected among adults aged 16 years and above. A continuum of functioning was developed: without disability, mild, moderate and severe. Bivariate and multivariate associations of disability and not knowing any HIV prevention method were fitted using logistic regression models.

Results: A total of 3,331 adults (60.4% female) were included. Of these, 14.5% (n = 482) were classified as having either moderate or severe disability, and this proportion exponentially increased with age (p < 0.001). Overall, 4.2% (n = 140) reported not knowing any HIV prevention method, with a slightly higher proportion among females than males (3.1% in males, 4.9% in females). Compared to people with no disability, those with moderate or severe disability were 5 times more unlikely to know any HIV prevention methods (adjusted odds ratio = 5.45, 95% confidence interval = 3.25 -9.13, p < 0.001). Additionally, the combined effect of moderate and severe disability and none/incomplete primary education increased the likelihood of not knowing HIV prevention methods over and beyond their separate effects (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Effective HIV prevention strategies must integrate best practices that target people with disabilities.

Contribution: These findings contribute to the evidence of the lack of HIV prevention knowledge among people with disabilities in general populations.