A descriptive comparative study on COVID-19 impact among people living with human immunodeficiency virus at tertiary care hospital: Bengaluru urban

Abstract

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the infectious disease known as coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A lockdown was implemented across the nation in response to escalating infections and community transmission. Patients Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) must get therapy for the rest of their lives. Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) must be available and strictly adhered to in order to lower HIV-related morbidity and mortality and stop HIV transmission. ART continuity in PLHIV has been compromised globally by the COVID-19 epidemic. This research was done to find out how the pandemic affected PLHIV patient’s adherence to their ART regimens. Methods: For nine months, PLHIV visiting the ART centre in a tertiary care hospital in Bengaluru urban participated in this a prospective comparative study. Through systematic random sampling, 470 patients were chosen for the study. Data were gathered by one-on-one interviews using a standardised semi-structured questionnaire. The statistics used were mean, median, and z test for proportion. Results: The bulk of the study participants were male and between the ages of 41 and 50. The most frequent means of HIV transmission risk was heterosexual interaction. Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a large difference in the number of PLHIV/day visits. Opportunistic infections and first-line failures were more common and statistically significant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, there was an average 94.84% adherence to ART, which dropped to 80.55% during the pandemic. The variation was substantial. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted PLHIV medication adherence, and opportunistic infections have increased during this time.