Explanatory Factors for the Variation in HIV Prevalence between Regions of Côte d’Ivoire: An Ecological Study

Introduction: No study has analyzed the reasons for the difference in HIV prevalence between Ivorian regions ranging from 1.3% in the central-western region to 4.1% in Abidjan among men. Objective: To analyze explanatory factors for the difference in HIV prevalence observed in men in Côte d’Ivoire’s regions. Methodology: Assessment of the relationship between HIV prevalence per region and risk factors explored in the 2012 Côte d’Ivoire Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). A multivariate analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between HIV prevalence and each variable. Results: The explanatory power of the variation of HIV prevalence between regions was 98%. There was a significant association between HIV prevalence and union (r = −0.38;p = 0.008;95% CI (−0.53 to −0.23)), condom use (r = −0.01;p = 0.19;95% CI (−0.03 to −0.01)), practice of Christian religion (r = −0.1;p = 0.017;95% CI (−0.16 to −0.05)), and schooling (r = −0.01;p = 0.25;95% CI (−0.04 to 0.02)). There was a paradoxical association between HIV prevalence and mean age at first sexual intercourse (r = −0.1;p = 0.017;95% CI (−0.16 to −0.05)) and sexual infections (r = −0.48;p = 0.016;95% CI (−0.75 to −0.22)). Conclusion: The explanatory factors for the difference in HIV prevalence observed in men in the regions of the country were union, condom use, mean age at first sexual intercourse, sexual infection, sexual activity, and multiple sexual partnerships. However, only union and condom use were effective in reducing HIV prevalence by preventing new infections.