The Biosocial Burden of HIV and Malaria Co-infection Among Pregnant Mothers

Malaria and HIV/AIDS; exacerbated by poverty affects the poorest segments of the population by making them more vulnerable to infections due to lack of access to basic socio-economic needs. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between biosocial indices in relation to co-infection of HIV and malaria among participants. One hundred and forty-nine respondents were interviewed and administered with well-structured questionnaires. After informed consent, their venipunture blood samples were subjected to HIV and Malaria parasite screening by using standard protocols. All data obtained were transcribed and subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. Of the (149) mothers recruited, 32.9% (49/149) were primigravidae while 27.5% (41/149) had more than one previous pregnancy (secungravidae). Respondents with Primary education were 53(35%), 9(19.5%) Secondary while 3(26.2%) had no formal education. Fractions of 12.8% were government employees, 29.5% were self-employed, 2% were un-employed while 49.0% were of other categories. The household size of the respondents ranged from 78.2% with less than 5 members and 21.3% with more than 5 household members. Majority were of no salaried income status whereas the lowest percentage of 2.9% belongs to high income status. There was no statistically significant relationship between socioeconomic indices and prevalence of both HIV and malaria in pregnancy.