Effects of public health educational campaigns and the role of sex workers on the spread of HIV/AIDS among heterosexuals

Z Mukandavire, W Garira

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents a sex-structured model for heterosexual transmission of HIV/AIDS in which the population is divided into three subgroups: susceptibles, infectives and AIDS cases. The subgroups are further divided into two classes, consisting of individuals involved in high-risk sexual activities and individuals involved in low-risk sexual activities. The model considers the movement of individuals from high to low sexual activity groups as a result of public health educational campaigns. Thus, in this case public health educational campaigns are resulting in the split of the population into risk groups. The equilibrium and epidemic threshold, which is known as the basic reproductive number (R0), are obtained, and stability (local and global) of the disease-free equilibrium is investigated. The model is extended to incorporate sex workers, and their role in the spread of HIV/AIDS in settings with heterosexual transmission is explored. Comprehensive analytic and numerical techniques are employed in assessing the possible community benefits of public health educational campaigns in controlling HIV/AIDS. From the study, we conclude that the presence of sex workers enlarges the epidemic threshold R0, thus fuels the epidemic among the heterosexuals, and that public health educational campaigns among the high-risk heterosexual population reduces R0, thus can help slow or eradicate the epidemic.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)346-65
Number of pages20
JournalTheoretical Population Biology
Volume72
Issue number3
Early online date27 Jul 2007
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
  • Educational Measurement
  • Educational Status
  • Gene Frequency
  • HIV Infections
  • Health Promotion
  • Heterosexuality
  • Humans
  • Models, Genetic
  • Public Health
  • Risk Factors
  • Sex Work
  • Social Marketing
  • Zimbabwe
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

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