HIV care and treatment services (HIVCTs) have greatly improved survival and reduced morbidity of HIV-infected persons. Also, HIVCTs have been associated with a significant decline in the incidence of orphanhood and children born with HIV infection (April, MD, et al., 2014; Mermin, J, et al., 2008; Makumbi FE, et al., 2012). However, the indirect effects of parental enrolment into HIVCTs on their children’s schooling are unknown. We investigated the association between parental enrolment into HIVCTs and children’s school non-enrolment or drop-out in Rakai district, South-Western Uganda.
The question:
• What is the effect of parental enrollment into HIV care and treatment services on children’s school enrollment and drop-out in a rural resource-limited setting with a universal primary education policy?
The research:
• Secondary data from four annual censuses/surveys in the Rakai Health Sciences Program population-based cohort in 50 communities.
• Inter-survey proportion of children (6-16 years) enrolled in school, drop-out (child in household previously enrolled in school but not currently in school) and adult enrollment into HIVTCs.
• Random effects logistic regression population average models for repeated measures analysis, with unstructured correlation structure used for the analysis.