Assessing HIV Vulnerability in Priority Populations: A Community-based Formative Research in Zambia

This formative research was designed to evaluate HIV vulnerability, identify community recommendations for HIV prevention and service provision and to facilitate protective behaviors among priority population. In Zambia, priority population for HIV prevention includes those vulnerable to HIV infection or present the greatest risk of infecting others. These include Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW), miners, fisher folk, male sex partners, HIV-infected individuals, cane cutters, migrants, discordant couples and non-injecting drug users. All of these groups, and particularly the adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) ages 10–24, are disproportionately affected by HIV in comparison with the general population. Socio-economic and health system disadvantages contribute to HIV vulnerability, thus the need to identify solutions to reduce the risk for HIV acquisition among priority populations in Zambia.