Late presentation for diagnosis of HIV infection among HIV positive patients in South Tigray Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundIn spite of the availability and accessibility of HIV testing opportunities and efforts, people are being late to test in the course of HIV infection. Late diagnosis leads to late anti-retroviral therapy initiation which in turn results in poor treatment outcome and prognosis of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of late HIV diagnosis among HIV-infected patients in South Tigray Zone, Ethiopia.MethodsA facility based cross sectional study was conducted among HIV positive patients from February 1-30, 2014 in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select the study participants. Data were collected by reviewing patient medical card and interviewing using structured questionnaire. Data were entered using Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were modeled to evaluate the association of predictors with late diagnosis of HIV infection.ResultsOut of 789 study participants, 68.8 % of them were late for HIV diagnosis. Feeling healthy (65.7 %), fear of stigma and discrimination (32.4 %) and using traditional treatment (1.5 %) were reported as the main reasons for late HIV diagnosis. Use of Khat [AOR = 3.27, 95 % CI (1.75, 6.13)], bed ridden functional status [AOR = 2.66, 95 % CI (1.60, 4.42)], ambulatory functional status [AOR = 1.56, 95 % CI (1.03, 2.35)] and Muslim religion [AOR = 2.26, 95 % CI (1.13, 4.49)] were significantly associated with late presentation for HIV diagnosis.ConclusionsHigh prevalence of late HIV diagnosis was recorded in Southern Tigray Zone, Ethiopia. Public health educations and campaigns targeted at improving early diagnosis and prognosis of people living with HIV/AIDS in Southern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia should be underway.

Late presentation for HIV care in Southwest Ethiopia in 2003–2015: prevalence, trend, outcomes and risk factors

“…However, the status of timely presentation for HIV care is yet to be assessed. One cross-sectional study from northern part of the country has reported a LP prevalence of 68.8% [ 27 ].…”

Immediate reactions of newly-diagnosed HIV-positive persons to the initial news of being HIV-positive: Implications for public health

“…The ndings of this study underscore the fact that newly-diagnosed PLWHAs will need to receive such interventions early [12]. These interventions are needed to give them hope in life to abate extreme psychosocial trauma that can be associated with new diagnosis of an HIV-positive status [11,75].…”

“…PLWHAs who fail to disclose their status to their partners may have been living in a state of denial and or may fear/have feared the rami cations of disclosing their status. They may thus refuse to disclose as a way of attenuating the anticipated effect of disclosing, as previous authors have attested to [12,15,29].…”

“…These are particularly important among females [2,11]. Such research and interventions are helpful in educating the newly-diagnosed PLWHAs on HIV [1,10] and promoting their health [1,8,12].…”

Late detection of human immunodeficiency status: An urgent need to promote early diagnosis

“…[17,18] Positive clinical outcomes, i.e., reducing the occurrence of opportunistic infections, reduction in mortality and improving the survival and quality of life of infected persons and also reduction of transmission of new infection to HIV negative individuals occurred when the disease was diagnosed at an early stage and treatment was started at the earliest which improved CD4 count. [19,20] Early diagnosis is also given due importance by GOI and NACO. Since the inception of HIV testing facilities multiple changes have been adapted by GOI to improve the testing for HIV.…”