Winsi Almung, Hasmi Hasmi, Konstantina M. Pariaribo, Dolfinus Y. Bouway, Katarina L. Tuturop, Muhammad Akbar Nurdin

Risk Factors for HIV and AIDS at the Harapan Health Center, East Sentani District, Jayapura Regency in 2023-2024

Introduction

Risk factors for hiv and aids at the harapan health center, east sentani district, jayapura regency in 2023-2024. Explore key risk factors for HIV and AIDS incidence at Harapan Health Center, Jayapura (2023-2024). Study reveals strong links to the number of sexual partners and STI history.

Abstract

This study aims to determine the risk factors for HIV and AIDS incidence at the Harapan Health Center. Observational analytical research with a case control approach. The sampling technique uses purposive sampling. The population, namely all those who are tested for HIV and AIDS at the 2023-2024 Harapan Health Center, is 965 people with a sample size of 64 additional control cases. The results of bivariate analysis showed a significant relationship between the number of sexual partners (p-v=0.001, OR=21,211, 2,565-175,404) and STI history (p-v=0.000, OR=8,273, 2,622-26,100) with the incidence of HIV and AIDS. Meanwhile, it did not show a significant relationship between age variables (p-v=0.708, OR=1.970, 0.390 - 8.220), gender (p-v=0.439, OR=1.711, 0.616 - 4.769), educational history (p-v=1.000, OR=0.802, 0.218-2.954), marital status (p-v=0.799, OR=1.296, 0.477-3.524), employment status (p-v=0.075, OR=0.345, 0.122-0.974), and the incidence of HIV and AIDS at the Harapan Health Center.

Review

This study addresses a critically important public health issue by investigating risk factors for HIV and AIDS within the specific context of the Harapan Health Center. Utilizing an observational analytical design with a case-control approach, the research effectively aimed to identify local determinants of the disease's incidence. The findings highlight a significant relationship between the number of sexual partners and a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with HIV and AIDS, reporting substantial odds ratios. Conversely, several demographic and socioeconomic factors, including age, gender, education, marital status, and employment, were not found to be significantly associated with the outcome in this particular population. These results offer valuable, localized data that can inform targeted prevention strategies. While the study presents clear and actionable findings regarding key behavioral risk factors, some methodological aspects warrant further clarification. The description of the sample, "965 people with a sample size of 64 additional control cases," is somewhat ambiguous regarding the exact number of cases included in the analysis. A typical case-control study clearly defines both the case and control groups, and a more explicit statement of the case-to-control ratio would strengthen the methodology section. Additionally, the term "incidence" in the abstract, while the study employs a case-control design (which typically examines risk factors *associated with* existing cases, rather than new occurrences over time), might be a slight misnomer. Case-control studies are excellent for identifying *prevalence* of risk factors among cases. The use of purposive sampling, while practical, could introduce selection bias, and acknowledging this limitation would be beneficial. Furthermore, the very wide confidence intervals for the significant odds ratios (e.g., 2.565-175.404 for sexual partners) suggest that while the association is strong, the estimates may have considerable variability, potentially due to a smaller number of exposed cases. Despite these minor points for clarification, the study makes a significant contribution to understanding HIV and AIDS epidemiology in East Sentani District. The robust associations found for the number of sexual partners and STI history provide strong evidence that public health interventions should primarily focus on sexual health education, promoting safe sexual practices, and enhancing STI screening and treatment services within this community. Future research could build upon these findings by exploring the cultural and social determinants influencing sexual behaviors and STI prevalence in the region. Overall, this research offers crucial insights for local health authorities to develop more effective and evidence-based prevention programs, ultimately aiding in the control of HIV and AIDS in the area.

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