Assessing Household Economic Vulnerability in HIV-Affected Communities in Five Regions of Côte d'Ivoire.

The objective of this study was to identify and describe levels of household economic vulnerability in HIV-affected communities in Côte d'Ivoire, defined as those with a high prevalence of HIV and large numbers of orphans and vulnerable children. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 3,749 households in five health regions of Côte d'Ivoire. Using principal component analysis, we attempted to identify sets of correlated vulnerabilities and derive a small number of composite scores to create an index for targeting interventions to vulnerable populations. The 65 vulnerability measures examined did not cluster in ways that would allow for the creation of a small number of composite measures. Instead, we found that households face numerous unique pathways to vulnerability

Comparison of component scores with data collectors’ assessment.

<p>Comparison of component scores with data collectors’ assessment.</p

Component 1 household characteristics by vulnerability levels.¹

<p>Component 1 household characteristics by vulnerability levels.<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#t002fn001" target="_blank">¹</a></p

Vulnerability distribution of components by beneficiary status.¹

<p>Vulnerability distribution of components by beneficiary status.<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#t005fn001" target="_blank">¹</a></p

PEPFAR economic strengthening categories (see p. 47 in [2]).

<p>PEPFAR economic strengthening categories (see p. 47 in [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#pone.0163285.ref002" target="_blank">2</a>]).</p

Other vulnerability measures by USAID/PEPFAR beneficiary status.¹

<p>Other vulnerability measures by USAID/PEPFAR beneficiary status.<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#t006fn001" target="_blank">¹</a></p

Correlations of component scores with selected measures.

<p>Correlations of component scores with selected measures.</p

Select characteristics of households by region.¹^, ²

<p>Select characteristics of households by region.<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#t001fn001" target="_blank">¹</a>^, <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0163285#t001fn002" target="_blank">²</a></p