Background: HIV/AIDS has become a full-blown development crisis affecting all sectors of the economy in most developing countries. Its social and economic consequences are felt widely not only in health but in education, industry, agriculture as well as transport.
Objective: The study attempted to estimate the changes in worker's output and attendance associated with advancing HIV infection, and direct costs incurred by a fiber products factory due to illness and death related to HIV/AIDS.
Methods: The study is a retrospective cohort with accounting method of cost estimation. The study subjects were factory workers enrolled in a cohort study of HIV incidence and progression in Akaki, Ethiopia since February 1997.
Results: The mean incentive earnings were not significantly different between HIV positives and negatives at baseline (in 1997). However, in the following years (1998, 1999 and 2000) the incentive earnings of HIV positives were significantly lower than the incentive earnings of HIV negatives. Trend analysis showed that advancing HIV infection, as measured by drop in CD4 count and increasing viral load, is associated with reduction in productivity and increased sick leave days.
Conclusion: The study has shown that there is a direct negative impact of HIV infection on the productivity of factory workers and recommends institution of ART centers and programs in work places to mitigate the socio economic impact of the pandemic.