Do challenges still exist amongst HIV/AIDS patients in managing their condition? A cross-sectional study of 297 participants in the Ethekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Autor: Panjasaram Naidoo, Rayanta Premdutt
Rok vydání: 2019
Předmět:
Adult
Counseling
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
Cross-sectional study
media_common.quotation_subject
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Shame
medicine.disease_cause
Health Services Accessibility
South Africa
Young Adult
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Cost of Illness
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
Antiretroviral Therapy
Highly Active

Surveys and Questionnaires
Virology
medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Hiv treatment
Epidemics
media_common
financial costs
eThekwini Metro
knowledge
side effects
stigma
non-disclosure
challenges
HIV/AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
030505 public health
business.industry
Public Health
Environmental and Occupational Health

Hiv incidence
HIV
General Medicine
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Taking medication
Cross-Sectional Studies
Sexual Partners
Infectious Diseases
Family medicine
Female
0305 other medical science
business
Kwazulu natal
Zdroj: African Journal of AIDS Research; Vol 18, No 3 (2019)
ISSN: 1727-9445
1608-5906
DOI: 10.2989/16085906.2019.1648305
Popis: Background: South Africa has the largest HIV/AIDS epidemic globally and the largest anti-retroviral treatment (ART) programme in the world, yet HIV incidence is still chronically high in South Africa, especially in KwaZulu-Natal province (KZN). In light of this, a study was conducted to investigate the extent of challenges making the management of HIV/AIDS difficult in people living with HIV (PLWH) in KZN, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 297 study participants living with HIV and receiving ART from three selected clinics in the Ethekwini Metro of KZN. A self-administered questionnaire assessed the challenges experienced by PLWH, their knowledge of their condition and their management thereof. One-wayfrequency tables were used to descriptively assess participant responses. Associations between certain demographic characteristics and responses to HIV treatment management challenges were assessed using chi-square tests, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.Results: One-fifth of the participants (n = 60; 20.1%) were within the 18–23 age group, with over 53% (n = 158) having secondary level education. Some of the challenges cited included: difficulty in obtaining medication, mainly due to cost; side effects resulting in non-adherence; shame for taking medication in public (younger patients were more likely to feel ashamed for taking their medication in public [χ2 = 20.3, p = 0.009]); and non-disclosure of HIV-positive status to partners. We found a significant association between education and financial status and management of their condition [χ2 = 11.2, p = 0.011].Conclusion: These findings that challenges still exist have implications for more robust programmes on education and counselling to address such challenges.Keywords: financial costs, eThekwini Metro, knowledge, side effects, stigma, non-disclosure, challenges, HIV/AIDS
Databáze: OpenAIRE