Perinatally acquired HIV-positive status disclosure and associated factors in Dire Dawa and Harar, Eastern Ethiopia: a health facility-based cross-sectional study

Abstract

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the level and factors associated with caregivers’ disclosure of perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) children’s seropositive status.DesignWe conducted a cross-sectional study in five public health facilities providing HIV treatment and care in Dire Dawa and Harar, Eastern Ethiopia. The data were collected from 310 caregivers through face-to-face interviews and record reviews. Data analyses were done using STATA V.14.2 and statistical significance was declared at p value <0.05.ResultsThe study revealed that the level of PHIV+ diagnosis disclosure was 49.4% (95% CI 43.8 to 54.9). Mean age at disclosure was 11.2 years. Disclosure level was higher among children who frequently asked about their health status (aOR (adjusted OR) 2.04, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.03) and when caregivers knew other people who had a disclosure experience (aOR 2.49, 95% CI 1.17 to 5.32). Disclosure level was less among children of 12 years or below (aOR 0.04, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.09) and among caregivers practising deception about the children’s HIV positive status (aOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.74).ConclusionOnly half of the caregivers disclosed their child’s PHIV+ diagnosis. To facilitate disclosure, caregivers should be counselled about the appropriate age of disclosure and related misconceptions that hinder it. It is also apparent that caregivers need to be guided as to how to address children’s frequent questions about their health status. These interventions can be made in a one-on-one approach or through patient group counselling when they come to get healthcare services.

HIV Status Disclosure and its associated factors among Children on Antiretroviral Therapy in West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia, 2019: A Mixed method cross-sectional study

“…The same finding was reported previously in the study in Eastern and North-East part of Ethiopia [16] [ 22].…”

“…Even though studies claim that informing children about their HIV status has long term positive implications in HIV disease management, children's quality of life and ART drug adherence, In many parts of the Sub-Saharan African Countries, the HIV status disclosure reaches from 0 to 69.2% [8].For instance, the HIV status disclosure reaches 26% -33% in Kenya [9], 32.6% in Uganda [10], 22.3% in Tanzania [11], 40% in South Africa [12], with the age at disclose reaching from 5 to 15 years [13]. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, nearly 50% of children didn't know their status while 15% partially informed.…”

HIV Disclosure in Children in This Millenium – Should It still be an Issue?

“…This was similar to the 26% reported by Vreeman et al in Kenya [4], 22.3% by Mumburi et al in Tanzania [10] and 21% by Kallem et al [11] in Ghana but higher than 14% in a study by Arun et al in India [12]. It was however lower than 33.1%, reported by Gyamfi et al [2], 49.4% by Mengesha et al [13], 43.1% by Lester et al [14] and 39.6% by Madiba et al [15] in South Africa.…”

“…The mean age at disclosure was 14 years which was older than in other reports [10,13,17]. The mean age at disclosure was 10.6 years in a study by Mumburi et al in Tanzania [10]; 8.7 years in a Nigerian study by Brown et al [17] and 11.2 years in Ethiopia [13].…”

HIV-positive status disclosure and associated factors among children in public health facilities in Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study

“…According to one systematic review,in low-and middle-income countries the overall rate of HIV-positive status disclosure to HIV-infected children was low, which ranges from 1.7% to 41% [11]. Fewer studies, conducted in different cities of Ethiopia, showed that children who knew their HIV positive status were low, which ranges from 16.3% to49% [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. As children mature, however, lack of disclosure may lead to accidental disclosure.…”