Correlates of Clinical and Dietary Factors on Nutritional Status of People Living with HIV on Anti-retroviral Therapy: A Case-control Study in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition compounds the immunosuppressive effects of HIV and speeds the disease progression among people living with HIV on ART. However, little is documented on the effect of clinical and dietary factors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the correlates of clinical and dietary factors on nutritional status of people living with HIV on ART in central zone of Tigray region, North Ethiopia.

Methods: A matched case-control study design was conducted in two purposively selected hospitals on a total of 340 samples (170 cases and 170 controls) on March 2014. Cases were selected by simple random sampling and controls purposively to match the selected cases. Data were collected by reviewing ART registration chart, anthropometric measurements and pretested structured questionnaire and checklist. Conditional logistic regression was executed to determine the association among the variables by STATA version 12.

Results: From the 170 paired subjects participated in the study, 72 (42.7%) pairs were males and 98 (57.3%) pairs were females. The mean age (±SD) was 39.3 ± 8.2 years in the malnourished   participants whereas 39.2 ± 7.9 years in the well-nourished participants. Of the clinical factors being on ART for 37–60 months (AOR, 2.7; 95%CI, 1.3–5.7), altitude adjusted mean Hgb of < 11 mg/dl (AOR, 3.1; 95%CI, 1.5–6.4) and mean TLC (total leukocyte count) of < 10³cells/mm³ (AOR, 5.1; 95%CI, 1.7–15.1) were predictors of malnutrition. From the dietary factors, eating pattern less than two meals per day (AOR, 4.9; 95%CI, 1.1–20.9) and poor diet diversity (AOR, 2.2; 95%CI, 1.1–4.6) were significantly associated with malnutrition.

Conclusion: In this study, the duration of ART use, altitude adjusted mean Hgb level, mean TLC, eating pattern less than two meals per day and poor diet diversity had significant effect on nutritional status of people living with HIV on ART. Therefore, there is a need to design an appropriate program which aimed in assessment, counseling and management of the clinical and nutritional aspects of people living with HIV on ART.

Keywords: HIV, ART, Dietary and clinical factors, nutritional status, Ethiopia

Cite this Article

Negassie Berhe Weldehaweria, Elsa Hagos Abreha,Kebede Haile Misgina, Meresa Gebremedhin Weldu. Correlates of Clinical and Dietary Factors on Nutritional Status of People Living with HIV on Anti-retroviral Therapy: A Case-control Study in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Research & Reviews: Journal of Health Professions. 2016; 6(3): 11–23p.