African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (2), pp. 001-011, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Sustaining social support for lifelong HIV treatment: Practices of patients on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda                                              

Esther K. Nanfuka^1*, David Kyaddondo¹, Sarah N. Ssali² and Narathius Asingwire¹

¹Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

²School of Women and Gender Studies, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Accepted 19 January, 2019 

Abstract

Social support is recognized as a critical resource in promoting adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-poor settings. However, supporter burn-out and stigma may constrain access to social support in the long-term. Little is written about how ART clients overcome these barriers to continue accessing support for lifelong treatment. Therefore, this article examines practices that enable HIV patients in a resource-poor setting to overcome the constraints of stigma and burn-out to continue accessing treatment support. The article is based on data from an ethnographic study of 50 patients enrolled on ART at two treatment sites. Fifteen of these patients were followed-up for six months. The main methods of data collection included in-depth interviews and participant observation. Dependent patients overcame the constraints of stigma and burn-out through three main practices: regulating the frequency of requests for assistance, using secrecy and lies, and continuously reconstituting the treatment support group. The study concludes that stigma and burn-out are serious threats to sustaining social support and concomitant adherence to lifelong ART. Integration of mechanisms for empowering patients to manage burn-out and stigma in HIV service delivery may improve prospects for sustained ART adherence in resource-poor settings.

Key words: Antiretroviral therapy, burn-out, people living with HIV, social support, stigma, therapy management group.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (2), pp. 001-008, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The joint effect of human capital and income inequalities on HIV/AIDS prevalence: An exploratory investigation

Isaac Dasmani* and Samuel Annim

Department of Economics, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.

Accepted 04 December, 2018

Abstract

This paper assessed the effect of human capital on the relationship between income inequality and HIV prevalence. We used 1999 dataset on human capital dispersion which was measured by years of schooling, quality of school system and rates of return for 99 countries. Using regression analysis, linear dependence effect of human capital and income inequality on HIV prevalence was estimated. The linear dependence yielded a relatively bigger effect than the independent effects of human capital and income inequality. This calls for addressing productivity gaps as one of the interventions of HIV/AIDS.

Key words: HIV/AIDS prevalence, human capital, inequality, income, education.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (2), pp. 001-003, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Short  Communication

Seroprevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients in Kassala, eastern Sudan

Tajeldin Mohammedin Abdallah, Mohammed Farouk Siddig and AbdelAziem AbdAllah Ali*

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kassala University, Sudan.

Accepted 14 December, 2018

Abstract

There is strong need to address the tuberculosis (TB) and human immune deficiency (HIV) virus infection convergence. Aiming to investigate the seroprevalence of HIV among TB patients all notified cases of TB that were reported in Kassala Teaching Hospital, eastern Sudan, during January 2008– through December 2010 were reviewed and analyzed. There were 858 TB patients enrolled in the study, of these 152 (17.7%) were counseled, 109 (12.7%) underwent HIV testing. The overall HIV infection rate was 18.3% among the investigated patients while the type of the disease was not associated with HIV co infection. Low CD4 (< 200cu.mm³) count was significantly associated with HIV co infection (P VALUE 0.5 and 000 respectively). In conclusion there is high seroprevalance rate of HIV among TB patients in Kassala, eastern Sudan; thus urgent intensified intervention is needed including voluntary screening for all tuberculosis patients.

Key words: Tuberculosis, HIV, morbidity, mortality, Sudan.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (2), pp. 001-010, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

‘Wende Luo’ (Luo Songs) as an intervention tool in the fight against HIV/AIDS among the Luo of Western Kenya

Peres Wenje*, Nyambedha Erick and Catherine Muhoma

Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), P. O. Box 1896, 40100 Kisumu, Kenya.

Accepted 22 November, 2018

Abstract

HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa tend to value literacy or Eurocentric communication approaches such as brochures, posters, radio, newspapers and television more than indigenous modes of communication strategies such as narration (sigendni), singing (wende) and dancing (miende). Mounting evidence indicates that these Eurocentric modes of communication have the potential of alienating and disempowering the people they are intended to inform because the communication process does not start from within their experiences and in many cases are incapable of giving full respect to their values. To make a mark in the fight against HIV/AIDS in African countries there is need to embrace culturally sensitive communication systems in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The traditional systems of communication put greater emphasis on getting the audience involved in perceiving HIV/AIDS as their problem rather than a media, government, non government organization or an international agency agenda. This paper, shares the techniques, insights and lessons learnt from Peres Wenje PhD research work that sought to investigate how the Luo ora-media have been creatively used to create awareness and empower the community to take ownership of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Key words: HIV/AIDS prevention, culture, mass media and ora-media.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (2), pp. 001-013, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

HIV/AIDS information source use and sexual behaviour of adolescents in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria

Williams Nwagwu¹*, Ifeanyi Okoye² and Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe³

¹Africa Regional Centre for Information Science, University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

²Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Institute of Human Virology of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria.

³Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 28 October, 2018

Abstract

This paper established those information sources that mostly provided the information about HIV/AIDS to 540 adolescents in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. The study showed further, how the adolescents' personal and parental characteristics explained the use of the sources as well as the relationship between source use and adolescents' sexual behaviour. The result showed that handbills, television and friends were the most frequently used sources. Use of handbills is related to decreasing total number of sexual partners, and reduction in the chances that the respondent has ever had sex, while the use of television relates to the increased chances of ever having sex, although it increased the current number of sexual partners and the decreasing use of condom during last sex. Friends relates positively to condom use during last sex and if one has ever had sex, age at first sex, last time one had sex, and current number of sexual partners. Increased investment in the use of handbills and use of friends could not only significantly reduce government's budget for HIV/AIDS awareness among youth but could also lead to increased effectiveness in achieving the impartation of the right information.

Key words: Adolescent, HIV/AIDS, information sources, sexual behaviour, rural community, South-eastern Nigeria.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2326-2691 Vol. 7 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Premarital sex and condom use among never-married men in Malawi

Adamson S. Muula

Department of Community Health, University of Malawi, College of Medicine, Blantyre, Malawi. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 21 July, 2018

Abstract

Premarital sex and non-condom use are both associated with HIV infection. This study used data from the Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) 2004 to estimate the prevalence of premarital sex-and examine the association between religion and pre-marital sex among never married Malawian men. The associations between the variables were assessed by logistic regression analysis. A total of 1039 never-married men, mean age 19.6 years (standard deviation=4.3 years) participated in the MDHS of 2004. A total of 671 (63.2%) of the men reported having ever had sex, that is, reported premarital sexual intercourse (PSI) and median age at sexual debut was 16 years. Of the 450 who answered the question whether condom was used at last sex, 213 (48.1%) reported having used condom. Compared to Catholics (as referents) the adjusted odds ratios for PSI were as follows: Presbyterians 0.83 (0.45-1. 53), Seventh-Day Adventists (SDAs) or /Seventh-Day Baptists (SDBs), 0.82 (0.35-1.90), Other Christians 1.00 (0.63-1.60), Muslims 1.96 (0.96-4.00), those with no religion 1.95 (0.37-3.549). The adjusted odds ratios for condom use at last sex were: Presbyterians 1.05 (0.53-2.09); SDAs/SDBs 1.10 (0.41-2.95); Other Christians 0.90 (0.47-1.71); Muslims 1.02 (0.41-2.54); No religion 0.56 (0.08-3.77). There was no overall difference on the likelihood of reporting having ever had premarital sex among never-married men among who reported to belong to a religious group or those not belonging to a religious group. Although individuals who reported not belonging to any religion were almost half as likely to have used condoms at last sex, the effect estimate was not significant. Reporting no religion was not associated with premarital sex nor condom use among men in Malawi.

Key words: Malawi, premarital sex, condom use, religion, religiosity.