Adult AIDS Mortality Trends in Addis Ababa

Daniel Sahleyesus, University of Colorado at Boulder
Yared Mekonnen, Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute
Tekebash Araya, Addis Ababa University
Biruk Tensou Tessema, Addis Ababa University
Tolcha Kebebew, Addis Ababa University

Studying adult AIDS mortality trends help monitor the status of the epidemic as well as evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions. In this study we asses trends in adult AIDS mortality in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We use data from surveillance of burials and from verbal autopsy interviews. The burial surveillance was initiated at all cemeteries of Addis Ababa in February 2001 and registers around 20,000 deaths a year. In this study we use data up to mid 2008. We hypothesize a decline in adult mortality from AIDS especially after the introduction of ART. However, we also expect that there is gender imbalance in benefiting from this decline and adult AIDS mortality to vary according to migration status. Preliminary results show that men benefited most from the decline. We also estimated the InterVA model using Verbal Autopsy data for the period 2004-2008. Based on estimated cause specific mortality fractions the study discusses trends over the years.