African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2023. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
 

Full Length Research Paper

Cassava and sweet potato production for HIV/AIDS affected smallholder farmers: A case study of Zvishavane District, Zimbabwe

Dadirayi Manyumwa¹, Robert Baars² and Koos Kingma²

¹Corresponding author: Bindura University of Science Education, P. Bag 1020, Bindura, Zimbabwe.
²Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 411, 6700 AK Wageningen, the Netherlands

Accepted 31 July, 2022

Abstract

This study explored the role of cassava and sweet potato, promoted by the NGO Africare, as a labour saving mitigation strategy in AIDS affected and drought prone Zvishavane District. The study focused on the impact of AIDS on livelihood assets, the current food production and food security, household income, and household coping strategies. A case study among 16 households was conducted. There was a low production of sweet potato whilst cassava was hardly grown, despite the strong promotion of both crops because of their labour saving effects. There was no significant contribution of these crops to food security and income. The households continued to lose productive assets to meet medical expenses and food requirements after the introduction of these crops. The sweet potato cultivation also increased the workload of women who were already burdened with the care giving role. It was recommended to support sweet potato production, which HIV/AIDS affected households are familiar with, to strengthen the community initiative of bartering with maize to meet their food requirements.

Keywords: Food security, HIV/AIDS, sustainable livelihood framework, Zimbabwe

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2023. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of HIV-prevention counseling of clients In Anambra State of Nigeria

Chiejina EN, Odira CC and Sibeudu FT

Department of Nursing Science Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi Campus Nigeria

Accepted 05 May, 2022

Abstract

The study focused on the efficacy of HIV-prevention counseling of clients in Anambra State of Nigeria. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. A sample of 207 nurses selected from Tertiary, Secondary and Primary levels of Health Care Institutions were used for the study. The instrument for data collection was checklist titled Client-centered HIV-Prevention Counseling Scale (CHCS). Statistical weighted mean was used to answer the research questions, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was adopted in testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that the HIV-prevention counselors in Comprehensive Health Centres (Primary Level) adhered mostly to the elements of HIV-prevention counseling and also possessed the best counseling skills, while the counselors in Voluntary Agency Hospitals (Secondary Level) were best in ensuring high quality HIV-prevention counseling. Significant differences existed in the mean scores of the counseling strategies and quality HIV-prevention counseling between the providers in tertiary, secondary and primary levels of Health Care delivery. Recommendations were given based on the findings.

Keywords: Efficacy, Counseling, HIV – Prevention, HIV – Transmission, Risk – Behaviour.
 

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 11 (1), pp. 001-003, January, 2023. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
 

Short Commmunication

AIDS in the 21st Century and the training of African medical students: An Observational Study at a Public Medical School in Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania

Stephen E.D. Nsimba^{1, 2}*, Robin T. Kelley³ and Richard Kasesela⁴

¹The University of Dodoma, College of Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Dentistry, P. O. Box 259, Dodoma-
Tanzania.
²Formerly with the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, P. O.
65010, Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania.
³Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service.
⁴HIV/AIDS Business Coalition of Tanzania, Dar-es-Salaam-Tanzania.

Accepted 04 February, 2022

Abstract

In any higher learning institution like universities in Africa and abroad, review of curriculums is carried out every 3 – 5 years depending on availability of funds. The exercise is an important one but sometimes can be time consuming and costly. These reviews of curricula helps to fill in the deficits or gaps by improving specific subjects or topics so as to tailor curriculars/training programmes suiting firstly the local need, national, and international requirements of final consumers of university products. So can these change in the medical curricula taught to African medical students be the way to attract and retain more medical and health providers? As researchers grapple with the influx of international funds on the African continent to manage the various epidemics, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB, what are health care providers and medical students learning to prepare them to be effective and sustained leaders, virus managers, particularly after funding streams change or shift? As this observational analysis focuses on Tanzania, a country where there are approximately more than 500 students entering medical training in various public as well private medical universities after completion of their advanced level of education secondary schools (i.e. Form six) each year. There are also those who are trained as clinical officers (medical assistants) and Assistant Medical Officers (AMOs). These are paramedical staff who serve as well as doctors in some regional, district hospitals, other health centres and dispensaries located in rural parts of the country. However, these paramedical staff require 2-5 five years of paramedical training but they do not require a one year of internship after completion as opposed to medical officers/medical graduates. However, the current curricula used to train medical and paramedical students in the public and private universities or medical schools in Tanzania may not be adequate to address the new levels of care and treatment. Thus, for health care providers and clinicians treating traditional diseases, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and TB etc, requires more business skills, such as procurement, supply distribution and in rural areas, as well, as clinic management. Traditional medical training in this country and Africa may need to shift to prepare the student to compete in the global world of disease management including building skills for self-employment after completion of their studies as this shift now is changing from depending on government created jobs. As it stands today most governments be developed and developing ones, there is an increasingly high rates of an employment to most youngsters after completion of their studies. To address the issue of training, we sought to inquire of the students, what knowledge they felt would help to best prepare them for health care in the 21st century. We asked approximately 134 third year students in Medicine, Dentistry, and Nursing students, average age 25yrs., at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania during a clinical pharmacology lecture class conducted by Dr Nsimba, SED. There was significant interest by the students in the concept of business, in fact, (76%) felt that they would like to learn more about entrepreneurship in addition to their medical training. Thus based on this, it may be recommended that African Medical Institutions may want to consider inclusion of some business skills so that medical students get an opportunity or be exposed to business and entrepreneurship skills apart from their conventional medical training curriculum.

Keywords: Aids, Africa, medical student, medical school.
 

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 10 (10), pp. 001-006, October, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Impact of pharmacist provided education on medication adherence behaviour in HIV/AIDS patients treated at a non-government secondary care hospital in India

K. V. Mini¹, Adepu Ramesh¹*, G. Parthasarathi¹, S. N. Mothi² and V. T. Swamy²

¹Department of Pharmacy Practice, JSS College of Pharmacy, S. S. Nagar, Mysore -570015, India.

²Ashakirana AIDS Care and Research Center, Mysore, India.

Accepted 19 September, 2022

Abstract

A single group pre-post test study evaluated the impact of a pharmacist provided education session on medication adherence behaviour in 104 HIV/AIDS patients receiving highly active Anti Retroviral Therapy. A brief medication questionnaire was administered to eligible patients at baseline and follow up to assess their reported medication adherence and barriers to adherence. The number of subjects reporting greater than 95% adherence increased significantly between baseline (n = 39 (43%)) and final follow up (n = 79 (80%). Pharmacist provided education sessions were found effective in improving medication adherence behavior in HIV/AIDS patients.

Key words: Medication adherence, brief medication questionnaire (BMQ), patient education, pharmacist, HIV/AIDS.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 10 (9), pp. 001-008, September, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Disclosure of information by patients about HIV/AIDS infection in Northeastern Thailand

Jaruwan Kownaklai¹*, Darunee Rujkorakarn², Weena Tanwattananon³ and Phoebe D. Williams⁴

¹Faculty of Nursing, Division of Family Nursing, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand, 44150.

²Faculty of Nursing, Mahasarakham University, Mahasarakham, Thailand, 44150.

³Infection Clinic, Roi Et Hospital, Roi Et Province, Thailand, 45000.

⁴University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City, Kansas, USA, 66160.

Accepted 6 August, 2022

Abstract

Few studies have focused on the processes in which patients reveal their HIV infection to others. This study sought to understand these processes. Thus, the research questions were: (a) What were their thoughts about the moment when patients learned that they were infected? (b) To whom and when did patients disclose that they were infected? (c) How did they disclose the information? (d) How much or what information did they disclose, and what were the reactions of those who were informed? (e) Why did they reveal the information? The descriptive study was done using a convenience sample of 45 patients with HIV/AIDS at a hospital clinic in northeastern Thailand. The results showed that 67% told a family member, usually their mother, within a day of being told about their HIV diagnosis from a medical staff. Most patients (65%) communicated the diagnosis face to face; only 4% used the telephone. Most patients disclosed the cause and source of infection; some also disclosed the location and time of infection and the current treatment. About half chose to tell family because family would likely take care of them when their symptoms became worse. About one fourth said they informed family because family would more readily accept their condition. Study findings may be useful to those who assist AIDS patients, including the development of effective methods or a system or network of persons who may help patients seek medical and other assistance sooner.

Key words: HIV/AIDS-infected patients, disclosure, information.

African Journal of AIDS and HIV Research ISSN 2736-1748 Vol. 10 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2022. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing on the college campus: Comparing traditional and outreach models

Sarahmona M. Przybyla

Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, USA. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 7168872496. Fax: 7168872510.

Accepted 2 July, 2022

The purpose of this study was to compare rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing services on a college campus between a clinic-based group and an outreach-based group. Study participants were 1,233 individuals who underwent HIV counseling and testing. Questionnaires assessed demographics and HIV transmission risk behaviors. Results indicate that outreach-based testers were more likely to be younger, female, and African American relative to clinic-based testers. Overall 100% of clinic-based testers and 99.5% of outreach-based testers received their test results. All individuals with positive rapid test results received confirmatory blood testing and entered medical care within one week of preliminary diagnosis. College campuses may provide a unique setting to deliver HIV testing and may help increase the percentage of young people who are aware of their serostatus, particularly younger, female, and African American students who may be less likely to undergo testing in traditional clinic settings.

Key words: Rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, college students, outreach HIV testing.