The 2011 Uganda AIDS Indicator Survey (AIS) is a nationally representative, population-based, HIV serological survey. The survey was designed to obtain national and sub-national estimates of the prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection as well as information about other indicators of programme coverage, such as knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviour related to HIV/AIDS. Data collection took place from 8 February to the first few days of September 2011. The UAIS was implemented by the Ministry of Health. ICF International provided financial and technical assistance for the survey through a contract with USAID/Uganda. Financial and technical assistance was also provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Financial support was provided by the Government of Uganda, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) through the Partnership Fund. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics also partnered in the implementation of the survey. Central testing was conducted at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, with CDC conducting CD4 counts, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for children, and quality control tests. The survey provided information on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour regarding HIV/AIDS and indicators of coverage and access to other programmes, for example, HIV testing, access to antiretroviral therapy, services for treating sexually transmitted infections, and coverage of interventions to prevent motherto-child transmission of HIV. The survey also collected information on the prevalence of HIV and syphilis and their social and demographic variations in the country. The overall goal of the survey was to provide programme managers and policymakers involved in HIV/AIDS programmes with strategic information to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate HIV/AIDS interventions. The information obtained from the survey will help programme implementers to monitor and evaluate existing programmes and design new strategies for combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda. The survey data will in addition be used to make population projections and to calculate indicators developed by the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS), USAID, PEPFAR, the UNAIDS Programme, WHO, the Uganda Health Sector Strategic and Investment Plan, and the Uganda AIDS Commission. The specific objectives of the 2011 UAIS were to provide information on: • Prevalence and distribution of HIV and syphilis • Indicators of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour related to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections • HIV/AIDS programme coverage indicators • Levels of CD4 T-lymphocyte counts among HIV-positive adults to quantify HIV treatment needs and to calibrate model-based estimates • HIV prevalence that can be used to calibrate and improve the sentinel surveillance system • Risk factors for HIV and syphilis infections in Uganda.
