Anemia and its associated factors among adult people living with human immunodeficiency virus at Wolaita Sodo University teaching referral hospital

What is it about?

Background: In Sub Saharan Africa including Ethiopia, both HIV/AIDS and anemia have considerable public health problems. The HIV infection itself and different factors are aggravating anemia. Anemia has an adverse effect on treatment outcome and it decreases the quality of life among adult HIV patients. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among adult HIV positive patients in Wolaita Sodo University Teaching Referral Hospital. Method: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching Referral Hospital from October 1-December 30 2016. A randomly selected 411 adult people living with the human immunodeficiency virus were included in the study. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to take data face to face. Variables with P-value <0.25 in the bivariable logistic regression model were taken into multivariable logistic regression analysis and a 95% confidence interval and Odds Ratio was used to examine the association between anemia and independent variables. P -value< 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Result: Prevalence of anemia in this study was 36.5% with 95% CI (32%-41%). Factors associated with anemia among adult people living with HIV/AIDS in this study were individuals years lived with HIV >9years (AOR=2.6, 95% CI:-1.03-6.59),years lived with HIV 5-8 years( AOR=2.59, 95% CI:-1.02-6.57),CD4 count <200cells/ul (AOR=4.2, 95%CI:-2.03-8.67), CD4 count200-350cells/ul(AOR=1.82,95%CI:-1.01-3.26),infection with intestinal parasites (AOR=2.04, 95% CI:-1.06-3.95), Participants with BMI <18.5kg/m2 (AOR=2.96, 95%CI:-1.37-6.390),BMI 18.5-25kg/m2(AOR=1.98, 95%CI:-1.11-3.56) and being HAART naïve (AOR=2.23, 95% CI:- 1.16-4.28).

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Why is it important?

While there is a wide variation in the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among HIV/AIDS positive patients in different studies in the countries, there is an insufficiency of information on the prevalence and associated factors of anemia among HIV/AIDS adult patients in Ethiopia. Adult people living with HIV are not given attention in the world as well as in Ethiopia. Due to this reason, there is high morbidity and mortality among adults which needs attention. The finding of this study is important for policymakers, organizations working on prevention of HIV/AIDS-related deaths, ART clinic managers and service providers to improve the health status of adults living with HIV. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated factors among adult People living with Human immunodeficiency virus attending in ART Clinic at Wolaita Sodo University Teaching Referral hospital, South Ethiopia.

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