Demographic

HIV PREVALENCEResults from the HIV testing component inthe 2006-07 SDHS indicate that 26 percent ofSwazi adults age 15-49 are infected with HIV.Among women, the HIV rate is 31 percent, comparedwith 20 percent among men. HIV prevalencepeaks at 49 percent for women age 25-29,which is almost five times the rate among womenage 15-19 and more than twice the rate observedamong women age 45-49. HIV prevalenceincreases from 2 percent among men in the15-19 age group to 45 percent in the age group35-39 and then decreases to 28 percent amongmen age 45-49. HIV prevalence for women andmen age 50 or over is 12 percent and 18 percent,respectively. Among the population age 2-14years, 4 percent of girls and boys are infected.HIV prevalence is higher in urban than inrural areas (31 percent and 24 percent, respectively,for women and men age 15-49). By region,Hhohho has the highest prevalence rate (29percent), followed by Lubombo (26 percent) andManzini (25 percent), while Shiselweni (23 percent)has the lowest HIV prevalence rate.More than 700 cohabiting couples were testedfor HIV in the 2006-07 SDHS. Results indicatedthat for 55 percent of these couples, bothpartners tested negative for HIV; 29 percent ofcouples, both partners tested positive for HIV;and in 16 percent of couples, the results werediscordant, that is, one partner was infected andthe other was not. In 8 percent of couples, themale partner was infected and the woman wasnot, while in another 9 percent of couples, thewoman was infected and the man was not.ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDRENSeventy-eight percent of children under age18 in the households sampled for the SDHSwere not living with both parents, and 34 percentwere not living with either parent. Twenty-threepercent of children under age 18 were orphaned,that is, one or both parents were dead. The percentageincreases rapidly with age, from 7 percentamong children under age five to 37 percentamong children age 15-17 years. Overall, 12percent of children under age 18 were consideredvulnerable, i.e., they lived in a household inwhich at least one adult had been chronically ill duringthe year preceding the survey or at least one parentliving in the household or elsewhere had sufferedfrom a chronic illness. Three in ten children in Swazilandare considered orphaned or vulnerable.YOUTHInterviews with children age 12-14 were designedto obtain information about risk factors associatedwith HIV infection. Respondents were askedquestions about home care and protection, media exposure,knowledge and attitudes about sex, andknowledge of AIDS.One important topic was identifying the personwho cares for the child at home. Grandmothers playan important role in taking care of children, evenwhen both parents are still alive (21 percent). Theirrole is even greater when the child is orphaned (37percent).Children benefit from knowing about the physiologyof human reproduction and the ways a personcan protect against sexual or reproductive diseasesand problems. Six in ten youth (61 percent) said thatthey know the meaning of having sex. Knowledge ishigher among girls and urban residents. Sex and sexualabuse are topics of discussion between someyouth and their parents or guardians (37 percent and43 percent, respectively). Girls are much more likelyto have talked about sex with a parent or other caregiverthan boys (47 percent compared with 25 percent).Almost all children age 12-14 have heard ofHIV/AIDS (97 percent) and there are no major variationsby background characteristics. Overall, 64 percentof children mentioned abstaining from sex as away of reducing the chances of getting AIDS, 47 percentmentioned the use of condoms, and 19 percentmentioned avoiding blood transfusions. One in sixchildren (15 percent) said that the chances of contractingAIDS can be reduced or avoided by beingfaithful to one sexual partner. Half of children age12-14 in the survey know of a place for AIDS testing.Girls and children living in urban areas are morelikely than other children to know where to go for theAIDS testing.Summary of Findings | xxvii