Prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity among people living with human immunodeficiency virus in Kano

Background:Human immunodeficiency virus/ Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), has remained a disease of public health concern, with the largest burden being found in sub Saharan Africa. The advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced the mortality of the disease, thereby transforming it to a chronic disorder, with significant co-morbid psychiatric sequalae.Objectives:To determine the prevalence and pattern of psychiatric morbidity among PLWHAattending Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.Materials and methods:This was a cross sectional study of adult patients with HIV/AIDS attending outpatient clinic at the S.S. Wali Virology Centre of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital who gave informed consent. Systematic random sampling technique was used.Patients aged 18years and above who had been on ARVdrugs for at least one year were included, while those who had a medical emergency and needed immediate attention were excluded.Socio demographic characteristics were obtained using a socio-demographic questionnaire and psychiatric morbidity was assessed with the MINI International Neuropsychiatry Interview.Results:Atotal of 420 participants were recruited in the study with a male to female ratio of 1:1.5 and mean age of 40.4±10.0 years. The prevalence of a psychiatric disorder was 22.1% out of whom 5.0% had more than one psychiatric diagnosis. Major depression was the most common (11%) psychiatric disorder. Generalized Anxiety disorder, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse accounted for 7.6%, 5.5%, 2.4% and 1.7% of psychiatric disorders respectively.Conclusion:Psychiatric disorders are common in PLWHA, with major depression being the commonest.

Quality of life of people living with HIV and AIDS attending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria

Background: With the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), life expectancy of HIV-infected persons had increased and the disease is now managed as a chronic one, but the quality of life (QOL) of the patients is now a concern. Social support enhances QOL of patients with chronic illnesses. However, no study has been done to determine the QOL of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in our environment. This study therefore assessed the QOL of PLWHA attending antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo State of Nigeria Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Two hundred and thirty PLWHA attending the ART clinic of ISTH, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, were systematically selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was interviewer-administered to collect data on sociodemographic and clinical profiles of selected participants, and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF questionnaire was used to collect data the QOL of each participant. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 20.0. Results: The overall mean QOL score for the participants was 89.13±1.18 (95% CI=87.95-90.31). The scores in three of the six life domains in the WHOQOL-HIV BREF instrument were similar and high; spirituality/ religion/personal beliefs (16.33±0.36), physical health (15.83±0.28) and psychological health (15.07±0.24). Lower mean QOL scores were observed in the social relationships (13.49±0.28) and environment (13.45±0.20) domains. Clinical HIV stage, marital status, educational status and gender were significantly associated with mean QOL scores in bivariate analysis while only HIV stage 1 and 2 were significantly associated with good QOL in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: It is pertinent that PLWHA are kept in early stages of HIV disease through combination of efforts such as prompt enrolment, commencement and monitoring compliance of HAART, and treatment of opportunistic infections, as well as public health measures including education, de-stigmatization, early diagnosis by extensive accessible screening/testing of at-risk population, social supports and economic empowerment, psychotherapy and social integration of affected individuals especially in a functional home.

Factors Associated With Quality Of Life Among People Living With Hiv/Aids On Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess Quality of life (QoL) and its associated factors in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during February 2019 to January 2020 at Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. QoL was assessed using the five-level version of the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), EQ-5D index value, and the EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS). The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software package version 26.0. Bivariate analysis was tested using the cross-tabulation Gamma, Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Mann-Whitney test. P value<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: A total of 584 PLWHA took HAART for at least 3 mo. The median index value and EQ-VAS were 1.0 (range-0.514–1.0) and 100.00 (range 30-100), respectively. Most patients had problems in ‘anxiety/depression’ and ‘pain/discomfort’ domains. Predictors of better QoL included men, married, good adherence, and treatment duration>24 mo (p<0.05). Predictor of poorer QoL included an advanced HIV clinical stage(p=0.001). Conclusion: The QoL scores of PLWHA receiving HAART in our study were high; hence the QoL of PLWHA was good. The good QoL can be taken as the goal for HIV treatment in order to have a successful HAART therapy.

Factors influencing dental caries in HIV/AIDS patients

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the most significant public health challenges in Surabaya, Indonesia where the greatest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) among key populations is in areas served by Sememi Public Health Center. HIV-infected persons have a greater risk for developing dental caries, such as salivary gland enlargement, and decreased salivary glands function. Given the fact that PLWHA are at high risk of dental caries, utilization of dental health service among PLWHA are still low.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVE:</strong> This study aims to know the factors influencing dental caries in HIV/AIDS patients.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>METHODS:</strong> This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted on 16 HIV-seropositive individuals. They were asked to complete a WHO questionnaire concerning basic oral health and quality of life. Dental caries was assessed using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Whole stimulated saliva samples were also collected.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Nine out of 16 respondents had low salivary flow rate (56.3%). One patient had low DMF-T score (6.3%) and eight had high DMFT score (50%). Among seven respondents who had normal salivary flow rate (43.8%), two of whom had low DMFT score (12.5%) and five of whom had high DMFT score (31.3%).</p>

Knowledge, attitudes and practices on HIV/AIDS and prevalence of HIV in the general population of Sucre, Bolivia

Background: To analyse knowledge, attitudes and sexual practices on HIV/AIDS, and estimate HIV prevalence among residents of Sucre (Bolivia).Methodology: Population-based survey of residents aged 15-49 randomly selected during 2008/2009. Blood samples were collected on Whatman-filter paper and tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Knowledge on HIV/AIDS, sexual risk practices and discriminatory attitudes against people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) were modelled with multiple logistic regression.Results: Of 1499 subjects, 59% were women. All subjects were HIV-negative. Inadequate knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention was observed in 67% and risk factors varied by gender (interaction p-value < 0.05). Discriminatory attitudes were displayed by 85% subjects; associated factors were: rural residence, low educational level and low income. Unsafe sex was reported by 10%; risk factors varied by residence area (interaction p-value < 0.05). In urban areas, risk factors were male sex, younger age and being in common-law union.Conclusions: Prevalence of HIV infection is very low and unsafe sex is relatively uncommon. Inadequate knowledge on HIV/AIDS and discriminatory attitudes towards PLWHA are extremely high and are associated to gender, ethnic and economic inequalities.

HIV Knowledge and Risk Behaviours of Junior Staff of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains a public health challenge and Nigerian universities are not immune to the effect of the epidemic. Despite the fact that non academic junior staff constitute a significant proportion of the workforce and are at risk due to their lower level of education and socio-economic status, few studies have focused on them. The broad aim of this study is to assess the HIV knowledge, risk perception and behaviours of junior staff of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 700 junior staff of the University of Ibadan. Respondents were selected using multistage sampling technique and completed structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. The quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 17) to generate frequencies and cross tabulations of variables. The mean age of the respondents was 38.89.9 years, 74.6% were males, 76.4% were married and 51.6% had post secondary education. Majority identified blood transfusion 94.4% and sexual intercourse 97.3% as the main routes of transmission. The commonest methods of prevention known were condom use 79.6% and mutual fidelity 89.7%. Respondents aged 20-29 years, the single and those with post-secondary education (P=0.000) had higher HIV related knowledge. Only 10% of the respondents perceived that they were at risk of contracting the disease; 30.3% did not think People Living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) should continue to work. Fifteen percent reported sexual intercourse with a non-regular partner in the previous 12 months and 30.8% of this group did not use a condom. Workplace health education programmes to reduce HIV risk behaviours and stigmatizing attitudes are recommended.

Ethnic Groups Difference in Discriminatory Attitude Towards HIV/AIDS Patients Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Medical students are future doctors who are trained to treat all kinds of diseases including people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) without prejudice. Teaching basic scientifi c knowledge and technical skills is no longer adequate for today’s medical students. There is also a need for them to be provided with high personal and professional values. This study examined stigmatizing attitude towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) among the medical students in a public medical school. The participants were stratifi ed to preclinical-year (year 1 and year 2) and clinical-year (year 3 and year 4) medical students. Simple random sampling was carried out to select 170 participants from each category of students. Self-administered questionnaires captured socio-demographic data, HIV/AIDS knowledge and stigmatisation attitudes towards PLWHA. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between ethnic groups and stigmatization attitude. Three hundred and forty participants were recruited. Malay medical students who did not have previous encounter with PLWHA were associated with stigmatizing attitude towards HIV/AIDS patients, whereas clinical-year medical students who had no clinical encounter with PLWHA were more likely to feel uncomfortable with PLWHA. Malay ethnicity and medical students in clinical years who had not encounter a PLWHA were more likely to have stigmatizing attitude towards PLWHA. Keywords:

Knowledge of HIV and its transmission by women living with HIV/AIDS (WLWHA) attending HIV clinic in lagos university teaching hospital (Luth), Nigeria.

The scourge of HIV/AIDS is a serious problem that cannot be overemphasized. Half of all HIV infections occur in women in Africa. Young women are particularly at risk and they are the child-bearing population. About 90% of MTCT infections occur in Africa. MTCT of HIV can occur at any stage of pregnancy. The study was designed to be a baseline survey which would help document the knowledge of Women living with HIV/AIDS and its transmission modes and the PMTCT programme of the HIV Clinic in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital can be used as template for future work. A survey of women attending the HIV Clinic in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idiaraba (LUTH) was carried out. Pretested questionnaires were administered to the target population at the HIV Clinic to document their knowledge of HIV and its transmission including awareness of the PMTCT services in the hospital. The results obtained revealed that though many of them are knowledgeable about the modes of transmission of HIV, most of them do not know of the existence of a PMTCT service in the hospital. It can be concluded that respondents in this survey were knowledgeable about HIV and the ways it can be transmitted. The study recommends that staff of the HIV Clinic should be involved in counseling PLWHAs, especially WLWHAs and informing them about all the service components available in the Clinic so that clients that may need these services are already aware and can utilize it as needed.

Determinants of Indonesian People Attitudes Towards People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)

Negative attitudes toward people with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can occur from various groups. Negative attitude from the community can affect the psychological condition of people living with HIV. In addition, the reduction of stigma and discrimination in society is an important indicator to measure the success of prevention programs of HIV/AIDS. The objective of the study was to determine the factors associated with the Indonesian people towards PLWHA. The purpose of this study assess the factors associated with the Indonesian people attitudes towards PLWHA. This study use secondary data sourced from the Indonesia Demographic Health Survey 2007 which was a cross-sectional study. The study population was married men and women between the ages of 15-54 years and they have ever been heard about HIV/AIDS. The total respondents were 20.465 people. More than half respondent (58,3,1%) showed behavioral discrimination or stigma to PLWHA (people with HIV/AIDS) or show a negative attitude. Most of respondents (61.1%) said it would keep confidential HIV-positive status for his family. They worry that if HIV-positive status to know other people will show a variety of unfair treatment towards them like a shunned, mocked up to the restriction of their rights. The majority of respondents also expressed do not want to buy vegetables from vendors who are HIV positive. The study found that Indonesian people attitudes towards PLWHA was significant associated with age, sex, place of residence, education, socioeconomic status, knowledge and perception. Increased community knowledge necessary to reduce the negative stigma against PLWHA and provides a balanced source of information not only about the dangers of HIV/AIDS but also social aspects such as the behavior of PLWHA's own discrimination or stigma they receive.