HIV/AIDS Surveillance Database


Dataset Abstract/Summary

Information on the AIDS pandemic and on HIV seroprevalence (infection) in population groups in developing countries is only available in widely scattered small-scale surveys. The HIV/AIDS Surveillance Database, developed by the Center for International Research, is a compilation of information from those studies appearing in the medical and scientific literature, presented at international conferences, and appearing in the press. The database was developed for the microcomputer platform for portability and has a user-friendly interface. Available information for population groups in a selected country can be easily retrieved and displayed on the computer screen, printed in tabular format, or saved to an ASCII or Lotus 1-2-3 file.

This database represents the 14th major update to the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Database compiled and maintained at the Center for International Research, U.S. Bureau of the Census. The current update incorporates all available epidemiological information for developing countries presented at international and regional conferences on AIDS including the 8th International Conference on AIDS in Africa held in Morocco in December 1994 and the IXth International Conference on AIDS held in Berlin, Germany in June 1993, along with additional material compiled over the past several months. The data from these sources added more than 1500 items of information to the database. Data quality is a recognized issue relative to this dataset. Currently, the database contains over 21,000 individual data records drawn from over 2,700 publications and presentations.

As before, the database almost exclusively contains information for developing countries. Data from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and from Asia and Oceania are systematically being included.


Archival and Access Information

Center for International Research, U.S. Bureau of the Census

Data is compiled and archived at the Center for International Research, U.S. Bureau of the Census.

The database is available on diskette and occupies about 10 megabytes of space after decompression. It must be installed on the hard disk of an IBM compatible computer system before it can be used.

CIESIN

Data is available from CIESIN. The database contains both the data and a database engine to manipulate and display the data. The database was designed for use with IBM compatible personal computers using DOS. It can be downloaded to the user's machine (or via an intermediate host) using anonymous ftp.

Contact CIESIN Customer Services for details at (517)-797-2700. CIESIN may also be contacted via fax, at (517) 797-2622 and via Internet, at ciesin.info@ciesin.org.


Dataset Variables

There are 18 fields in the database (shown with brief definition):

  1. CCODE FIPS country code
  2. GEOAREA Geographic coverage--name of area
  3. GEOCODE Geographic coverage--standard codes
  4. REFDATE Reference year for sample or data
  5. SUBPOP Subpopulation description
  6. POPCODE Subpopulation standard codes
  7. SEX Sex code
  8. AGE Age group in 00-00 format
  9. SAMPSIZE Size of sample
  10. DATATYPE Type of data
  11. NO_CASES Number of persons positive for DATATYPE
  12. INC_RATE Annual incidence, per million, of DATATYPE
  13. PREV_RATE Prevalence of DATATYPE, in percent
  14. NO_DEATHS Number of deaths
  15. TESTTYPE Type of diagnostic test
  16. SOURCE_ID Source ID code--linked to AIDSSRC file
  17. QUALITY Data quality code
  18. COMMENTS Text providing further details of study, sample, etc.


Data Acquisition/Collection Summary

HIV/AIDS Surveillance Database contains epidemiological information for developing countries presented at international and regional conferences on HIV/AIDS as well as additional material from other sources. The database contains over 21,000 individual data records from over 2,700 publications and presentations. The Center for International Research has been compiling HIV seroprevalence information contained in journals, articles and public presentations since 1987.


Related Datasets

Additional data sets may be located through CIESIN's Gateway.


Contacts and References


Keywords

AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Age, Female, HIV, High Risk, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Low Risk, Male, Rural, Seroprevalence, Urban, National, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Oceana, Caribbean