ABSTRACT
Background: The current adult prevalence of HIV in India is 0.34%. HIV infected persons should have adequate knowledge about the modes of transmission of infection. This is essential for reducing the risk of secondary infection, preventing coinfection from other viruses such as hepatitis B and for protecting the uninfected. Identification of the correlates of poor knowledge among HIV positive subjects will aid in planning effective measures to improve their health knowledge about HIV. Aims: To explore HIV related knowledge among HIV positive subjects and to determine the correlates of their knowledge. Methods: The study was conducted between November 2005 and May 2007. Two hundred HIV positive subjects attending a tertiary care hospital and three non-governmental organizations in Puducherry, South India, were recruited for the study. They were interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire regarding their knowledge about HIV and were divided into those with HIV knowledge score >90% and those with score ≤90%. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test and logistic regression. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated. Results: The median knowledge score was 90%. Knowledge on the modes of HIV transmission was better than that on the modes by which it does not spread. Subjects who had received counseling (OR: 16.78), studied above class 10 (OR: 4.13), and those with duration of more than 1 year since diagnosis (OR: 3.12) had better HIV knowledge score (>90%). Persons counseled by HIV positive peers had a better knowledge. Conclusion: This study revealed the importance of counseling in improving the HIV related knowledge among HIV positive individuals. It also highlights the beneficial effect of peer counseling.
ABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of the study was to identify factors that are associated with high level of HIV related stigma and perceived social support of People Living With HIV using HIV Stigma Scale and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Methods: The study was conducted among 200 PLHIV attending a tertiary care hospital and three Non-Governmental Organizations in Puducherry, South India, from November 2005 to May 2007. The information collected using the standard assessment scales were analyzed utilizing backward step-wise multiple linear regression. Results and Conclusion: Factors associated with high level of stigma were short time since diagnosis, non-disclosure, poor social support, younger age and male. PLHIV with lesser stigma and PLHIV whose income was maintained perceived better social support.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To measure the economic output/input ratios for the various options of prevention of rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD) and check the viability of primary prevention vis-à-vis secondary and tertiary preventions. METHODS: Cost accounting of the various prevention options was calculated for each variable as available in literature. Actual data as obtainable for the financial year ending March 2006 were computed for the Pondicherry population. Both direct and indirect costs (including community/social costs) were worked out using mostly primary data and wherever necessary, secondary data. Certain scientific assumptions were used where exact data was not available. RESULTS: Primary prevention is the definite viable economic option (1:1.56) compared to secondary (1: 1.07) and tertiary (1: 0.12) preventions. In fact, the current stress on only secondary and tertiary preventions is found to be economically unviable. CONCLUSION: It is postulated that primary prevention as a practical policy in tackling RF and RHD can be recommended.