Browsing by Author "Apungu, Francis Kwotua"

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    Assessing the nutritional and health status of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Eastern Region of Ghana
    (KNUST, June, 2019) Apungu, Francis Kwotua
    Globally about 36.9 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is responsible for more than 940,000 deaths. Most of these deaths are related to malnutrition. Cross-Sectional study design was used to assess the nutritional and health status of people living with HIV/AIDS (18-60) years. Purposive and convenience sampling were used to select four (4) hospitals and two hundred (200) people living with HIV/AIDS in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A structuredquestionnaire was used to collect data of participants and their anthropometrics, food frequency, 24-hour dietary intake, full blood count, and viral load were assessed. The prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity (using body mass index) were 17% and 37% respectively. Most respondents’ had adequate intakes of phosphorus (70.5%), inadequate intakes of calcium (95%), vitamin E (77.5%), vitamin A (94%), and excess intakes of sodium (93%), selenium (77%), copper (83.5%), and manganese (76%). The respondents’ daily intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and animal foods were 10.1%, 26.2%, 2.5%, and 7.3% respectively. The study found 20% of respondents on antiretroviral treatment with high/unsuppressed viral load (≥1000cp/mL) and about 87% of respondents with high monocytes (≥10%). The current mean monocytes (15.45+2.23)% was significantly different from the previous mean monocytes (within 6months prior to study)(8.13+6.26)% (p=0.0478). About 38%, 88%, 66% and 69% respectively of respondents had low haemoglobin (Hb <11g/dL), red blood cell (RBC<4.5 x1012/μL), haematocrit (Hct <37%), and mean platelet volume (MPV<9.5%). The study found no significant association between nutrient intakes of study subjects and biochemical/haematological parameters. There was also no significant association between anthropometric measures and biochemical/haematological parameters. In conclusion, a significant proportion of people living with HIV/AIDS had high prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity, inadequate nutrients intakes, and high viral load.