Prevalence and association of HIV and tuberculosis status in older adults in South Africa: an urgent need to escalate the scientific and political attention to aging and health

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the prevalence and sociodemographic factors among older adults with HIV and TB status in South Africa. Methods: This data was cross-sectional and obtained from the 2019 General Household Surveys in South Africa. Adults 50years and over with reported HIV and TB status were included (N=9,180,047). We reported statistical analyses of the descriptive, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, and binary logistic regression. Results: The study has found a prevalence rate of HIV to be 5.3% and TB to be 2.9% among older adults aged 50years and above in South Africa. However, the study found HIV and TB to be highest among older adults residing in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. For HIV status, the female gender [AOR=0.80*,CI 95%=0.80-0.80] and secondary education [AOR=0.57, CI 95%=0.56-0.58] have lower odds of association among older adults with HIV. Regarding TB status, primary education [AOR=1.08*, CI 95%=1.06-1.10] and diabetes [AOR=1.87*, CI 95%=1.82-1.91] have lower likelihoods of associations among older adults with TB. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to escalate scientific and political attention to address the HIV/TB burden in older adults and, public health policymakers need to take cognizance of the interdependence of inequality, mobility, and behavioural modification among this high-risk population.