Availability of Nutritional Support Services in HIV Care and Treatment Sites in Sub-Saharan African Countries

Overview

Journal Public Health Nutr

Publisher Cambridge University Press

Date 2011 Aug 3

PMID 21806867

Citations 22

Authors

Aranka Anema

Wendy Zhang

Yingfeng Wu

Batya Elul

Sheri D Weiser

Robert S Hogg

Julio S G Montaner

Wafaa El Sadr

Denis Nash

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the availability of nutritional support services in HIV care and treatment sites across sub-Saharan Africa.

Design: In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of sites providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in nine sub-Saharan African countries. Outcomes included availability of: (i) nutritional counselling; (ii) micronutrient supplementation; (iii) treatment for severe malnutrition; and (iv) food rations. Associations with health system indicators were explored using bivariate and multivariate methods.

Setting: President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-supported HIV treatment and care sites across nine sub-Saharan African countries.

Subjects: A total of 336 HIV care and treatment sites, serving 467 175 enrolled patients.

Results: Of the sites under study, 303 (90 %) offered some form of nutritional support service. Nutritional counselling, micronutrient supplementation, treatment for severe acute malnutrition and food rations were available at 98 %, 64 %, 36 % and 31 % of sites, respectively. In multivariate analysis, secondary or tertiary care sites were more likely to offer nutritional counselling (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.2, 95 % CI 1.1, 4.5). Rural sites (AOR: 2.3, 95 % CI 1.4, 3.8) had increased odds of micronutrient supplementation availability. Sites providing ART for >2 years had higher odds of availability of treatment for severe malnutrition (AOR: 2.4, 95 % CI 1.4, 4.1). Sites providing ART for >2 years (AOR: 1.6, 95 % CI 1.3, 1.9) and rural sites (AOR: 2.4, 95 % CI 1.4, 4.4) had greater odds of food ration availability.

Conclusions: Availability of nutritional support services was high in this large sample of HIV care and treatment sites in sub-Saharan Africa. Further efforts are needed to determine the uptake, quality and effectiveness of these services and their impact on patient and programme outcomes.

Citing Articles

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The Positive Impact of Foods Support on Loss to Follow Up Among Children and Adolescents on HIV Antiretroviral Therapy in a District Hospital in East Cameroon.

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Tesfay F, Javanparast S, Gesesew H, Mwanri L, Ziersch A BMJ Open. 2022; 12(1):e047205.

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