Social, economic, environmental, and behavioral aspects of HIV and chronic diseases

Soldo has organized an effort to collect select biomarkers in two studies involving other PARC Associates. In H‐P Kohler’s Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health (MLSFH), Soldo is collecting activity measures of three biologic systems: metabolic (lipids), immune, and renal (or clearance). While there has been considerable research on the health of individuals infected with HIV, very few studies examine the health of non‐infected adults sharing the same environments. Gurven et al. (2008) and Kaplan and Gurven (2008) report that environmental and life circumstances, such as those found in Malawi, provide considerable exposure to endemic parasites and associated infections. In addition to collecting biomarkers, the Malawi field staff gathers information on environmental factors such as malaria exposures and source of drinking water. These data provide the opportunity to test the hypothesis that adults not infected with HIV will nonetheless have an elevated pathogen burden (hsCRP), evidence of malnutrition (albumin, total protein), high levels of renal or clearance problems (creatinine, total protein, urea), and low levels of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The collection of biomarkers in Malawi uses an innovative blood sampling system, Demecal™ kits, that require but 1‐2 drops of blood harvested from a finger stick and a patented filter that separate plasma from cells. In another biomarkers project, Soldo is partnering with Todd, Behrman, and Mitchell to collect many of these same biomarkers in conjunction with the Chilean Social Protection Survey (EPS or Encuesta de Previsión Social), directed by Bravo. Several other Latin American projects in which PARC Associates are involved (Behrman in Guatemala, Valeggia in Argentina) are also collecting biomarkers. Collectively, these projects rationalize the 4th and 5th of PARC’s themes for the next 5 yrs.