Nutritional Assessment of Children Living with HIV/AIDS in Selected HAART-Providing Hospitals in Abia State, Nigeria

Philip Kelechukwu Ogbuta; Echibuogu        Nelson; Ajah  Precious Amarachi; Matthew Obinna Ndubuisi; Oluwatuyi Samson Afolabi

doi:10.62050/ljsir2026.v4n1.674

المؤلفون

Philip Kelechukwu Ogbuta
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lagos State Maternal and Child Centre, Eti-Osa, Nigeria
Echibuogu Nelson
Department of Primary Health Centre, Crouch Hall Road Surgery, London
Ajah Precious Amarachi
Department of Nursing, County Hospital LTD Aguda Ogba, Ikeja Lagos State, Nigeria
Matthew Obinna Ndubuisi
Department of Radiology and Radio Diagnosis, University of Port Hacourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Oluwatuyi Samson Afolabi
samson08060@gmail.com

Department of Environmental Health, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Lagos State, Nigeria

الكلمات المفتاحية:

Array، Array، Array، Array، Array، Array

الملخص

Malnutrition happens when the body lacks enough essential nutrients. Children are more vulnerable than adults and face greater risks of serious health problems from poor nutrition. This study examined nutritional assessment for children living with HIV/AIDS. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 respondents at three HAART-providing hospitals in Abia State, namely Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Seventh-day Adventist Hospital, and Living World Hospital. The study revealed that most caregivers were aged 30–34 years, with a mean age of 33.7 years, and nearly half of the children were between 5 and 9 years old. While over 80% of caregivers knew the classes of food, only about half identified proper child nutrition, and many were unaware of the link between HIV and malnutrition. Exclusive breastfeeding was practiced by 55%. Children’s diets were predominantly carbohydrate-based due to low income. About 38% had recent diarrhea, and 66% were on ART. Anthropometric results showed most children within normal growth percentiles, likely reflecting ART adherence and moderate caregiver nutrition knowledge. The study concluded that although caregivers showed moderate awareness of nutrition, socioeconomic challenges and limited understanding of the relationship between HIV and malnutrition affect dietary diversity and child health outcomes. Based on the findings, it is recommended that continuous nutrition education be provided for caregivers of HIV-positive children, focusing on balanced diets and the nutritional impact of HIV. Government and NGOs should also support income-generating programs and provide nutritional supplements to improve dietary quality and child well-being.

Dimensions

REFERENCES

Hendrickse, R. G., Coulter, J. B., Omer, M. I., Suliman, G. I., Moody, J. B., & Macfarlane, S. B., (1988). Protein-energy malnutrition in northern Sudan: Prevalence, socio-economic factors and family background. Annals of Tropical Paediatrics, 8(2), 96–102. https://doi.org/10.1080/02724936.1988.11748548

Anabwani, G., & Navario, P. (2005). Nutrition and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa: An overview. Nutrition, 21(1), 96–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2004.09.013

Ogunlibeju, O. O., Van Schalkwyk, F. E., & Van Den Heever, W. W. M. (2003). The HIV epidemic: Factors responsible for the epidemic and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Review Medical Journal, 28, 56–62.

Yusuf, T., Jiya, N. M., & Ahmed, H. (2014). CD4⁺ T-lymphocyte counts among under-5 children with protein-energy malnutrition as seen in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics, 41(4), 354–359. https://doi.org/10.4314/njp.v41i4.13

Adeleke, S. I., Asani, M. O., Belonwu, R. O., & Gwarzo, G. D. (2008). Children with protein energy malnutrition: Management and outcome in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Retrieved from http://www.ajol.info/viewarticle.php?id=41523

Penda, C. I., Eboumbou Moukoko, E. C., Nolla, N. P., Abomo Evindi, N. O., & Koki Ndombo, P. (2018). Malnutrition among HIV-infected children under 5 years of age at the Laquintinie Hospital Douala, Cameroon. Pan African Medical Journal, 30, 91. https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.30.91.15832

Oyedeji, G. A. (1984). Socioeconomic and cultural background of hospitalized children in Ilesha. Nigeria Journal of Pediatrics, 4, 111–117.

World Health Organization. (2005, April 10–13). Consultation on nutrition and HIV/AIDS in Africa: Evidence, lessons, and recommendations for action. Durban, South Africa. https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2005/04/10/default-calendar/consultation-on-nutrition-and-hiv-aids-in-africa

Abdool Karim, Q., Abdool Karim, S. S., Coovadia, H. M., & Susser, M. (1998). Informed consent for HIV testing in a South African hospital: Is it truly informed and truly voluntary? American Journal of Public Health, 88(4), 637–640. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.88.4.637

Baker, J. P., Detsky, A. S., Wesson, D. E., Wolman, S. L., Stewart, S., Whitewell, J., Langer, B., & Jeejeebhoy, K. N. (1982). Nutritional assessment: A comparison of clinical judgement and objective measurements. The New England Journal of Medicine, 306(16), 969–972. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM198204223061606

Solomons, N. W. (1985). Assessment of nutritional status: Functional indicators of pediatric nutriture. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 32(2), 319–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-3955(16)34789-7

Laditan, A. A. O., & Johnson, A. O. K. (1999). Nutritional disorders in childhood. In J. C. Azubuike & K. E. O. Nkanginieme (Eds.), Paediatrics and child health in a tropical region (pp. 166–175). Owerri, Nigeria: African Educational Services. https://bit.ly/3yHk9kS

Grobler, L., Siegfried, N., Visser, M. E., Mahlungulu, S. S. N., & Volmink, J. (2013). Nutritional interventions for reducing morbidity and mortality in people with HIV. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013(2), CD004536. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004536.pub3

Musoke, P. M., & Fergusson, P. (2011). Severe malnutrition and metabolic complications of HIV-infected children in the antiretroviral era: Clinical care and management in resource-limited settings. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(6, Suppl), 1716S–1720S. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.111.018374

Nalwoga, A., Maher, D., Todd, J., Karabarinde, A., Biraro, S., & Grosskurth, H. (2010). Nutritional status of children living in a community with high HIV prevalence in rural Uganda: A cross-sectional population-based survey. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 15(4), 414–422. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2010.02476.x

Mukuria, A., Cushing, J., & Sangha, J. (2005). Nutritional status of children. Demographic and Health Survey, 56, 28–44. https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/CR10/CR10.pdf

Adejuyigbe, E., Orji, E., Onayade, A., Makinde, N., & Anyabolu, H. (2008). Infant feeding intentions and practices of HIV-positive mothers in southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Human Lactation, 24(3), 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334408317765

Iliff, P. J., Piwoz, E. G., Tavengwa, N. V., Zunguza, C. D., Marinda, E. T., Nathoo, K. J., Moulton, L. H., Ward, B. J., & Humphrey, J. H., study group. (2005). Early exclusive breastfeeding reduces the risk of postnatal HIV-1 transmission and increases HIV-free survival. AIDS, 19(7), 699–708. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.aids.0000166093.16446.c9

Maru, Y., & Haidar, J. (2016). Infant feeding practice of HIV positive mothers and its determinants in selected health institutions of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 23(2). Retrieved from https://www.ejhd.org/index.php/ejhd/article/view/424

Black, M. M., Nair, P., & Harrington, D. (1994). Maternal HIV infection: Parenting and early child development. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 19(5), 595–615. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/19.5.595

Ionescu, C. (2006). Romanian parents keep HIV a secret from infected children. The Lancet, 367(9522), 1566. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68676-5