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1996-01-30
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Document 0658
DOCN M9610658
TI How have Zambian businesses reacted to the HIV epidemic?
DT 9601
AU Baggaley R; Godfrey-Faussett P; Msiska R; Chilangwa D; Chitu E; Porter
J; Kelly M; Kara Counselling and Training Trust, Lusaka, Zambia.
SO Occup Environ Med. 1995 Sep;52(9):565-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
MED/96030731
AB OBJECTIVES--To evaluate the impact of HIV on businesses in Zambia and to
assess attitudes towards HIV and HIV education in the workplace.
METHODS--The personnel managers of 33 companies with a total workforce
of 10,204 in Lusaka and in towns in the Copperbelt were visited by two
members of the study team. The study was discussed and a questionnaire
about the impact of HIV on their company was explained and left for
completion from company records. RESULTS--All 33 questionnaires were
returned. HIV was recognised to be a problem by 30 companies questioned.
Seven said that it had affected recruitment and 11 production. 23
companies carried out pre-employment medicals. 17 companies demanded
that some or all of their employees had an HIV test before employment.
Nine companies were sure that a positive HIV test would prevent
employment, 15 were unsure saying that there was no particular company
policy. Two companies had recently changed their policy and had stopped
discriminating against those with HIV. 12 companies had some HIV
educational material available for their employees and five had someone
(or an organisation that they used) to whom they could refer employees
for HIV information and advice. Condoms were provided free to staff by
five of the companies. All thought that HIV education in the workplace
was an appropriate intervention. Mortality data showed a sevenfold
increase in the crude mortality from 0.25-1.8 per 100 person-years from
1987-93, and an increasing trend in reported deaths from AIDS and HIV
related conditions. CONCLUSIONS--HIV is having an important impact in
the workplace in urban Zambia. Although many companies insist on
pre-employment medicals, often including HIV testing, few have developed
policies relating to test results. Some companies have instituted HIV
education but there is a demand for this service to be available more
widely. There has been a striking increase in mortalities in this
working population, which seems likely to be related to HIV, although
the cause of most deaths was not recorded.
DE *Attitude to Health AIDS Serodiagnosis/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA Cause
of Death *Commerce *Disease Outbreaks Health Education/STATISTICS &
NUMER DATA Human HIV Infections/EPIDEMIOLOGY/*PSYCHOLOGY
*Occupational Health Personnel Selection Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Zambia/EPIDEMIOLOGY JOURNAL ARTICLE
SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be
protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).