Exploring the Impact of Prostitution on HIV/AIDS Transmission
Table 1
Model parameters and their interpretations.
Definition
Symbol
Units
Point estimate
Range
Source
Recruitment rate
People/year
—
CSOZ
Natural mortality rate
1/year
0.02
0.015–0.02
CSOZ
AIDS induced death rate
1/year
0.34
0.33–0.4
a*
Rate of becoming a prostitute
1/year
0.025
0-1
Assumed
Product of effective HIV contact rate and probability of HIV transmission per contact
1/year
0.025
0.011–0.95
b*
Rate of quitting prostitution due to poverty eradication and sickness
,
1/year
0.5
0.1–1
d*
Natural rate of progression to AIDS
,
1/year
0.1
0.05–0.25
a*
Enhancement factor
—
1.25
(≥1)
Assumed
Enhancement factor
—
1.02
(≥1)
a*
Reduction factor
—
0.4
0–0.75
c*
Reduction factor
—
0.5
0-1
Assumed
Here, CSOZ stands for Central Statistics Office of Zimbabwe; a* stands for parameter values adapted from Bhunu et al., 2009 [20]; b* stands for parameter values adapted from Hyman et al., 1999 [21]; c* stands for parameter values adapted from Porco et al., 2004 [22]; d* parameter values adapted from Bhunu and Mushayabasa 2012 [1].