Abstract
BackgroundCommunity-based care and support services are limited in sub-Saharan Africa and as a result a high number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are not getting the required care and support services. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of food supplementation services for PLHIV in Ghana on weight gained and factors associated with weight gained.MethodsThe study employed mixed methods study design involving quantitative and qualitative techniques. These were structured questionnaire administered to 200 PLHIV selected through simple random sampling and a qualitative component consisting of 14 semi-structured interviews with purposefully selected stakeholders and eight focus group discussions with the beneficiaries.ResultsThe analysis of the quantitative data showed on average, beneficiaries had gained weight [mean difference in weight was 2 kg with 95 % CI (1.1, 2.9), P value <0.001]. Multivariate analysis showed that the support group to which the beneficiary belonged was the most important determinant of gaining weight. Through the qualitative interviews, beneficiaries indicated that the anti-retroviral drugs were making them hungry and the food helped to alleviate that effect. Notwithstanding, they indicated that the food was nutritious, made them healthy and strong, contributed to their weight gain and was their main sources of hope at home when they had no money.ConclusionsA broad strategy of food supplementation for PLHIV should be implemented in different ways for different support groups taking into account the differences between different support groups when planning such an intervention.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1511-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Community-based care and support services are limited in sub-Saharan Africa and as a result a high number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are not getting the required care and support services
Opportunity Industrialization Centre International (OICI) Ghana linked up with the network of HIV/AIDS associations which were on the ground to identify and select PLHIV groups benefiting from the programme
This study reports on the impact of the food supplementation component of the programme, to provide lessons on weight gained and factors associated with gaining weight
Summary
Community-based care and support services are limited in sub-Saharan Africa and as a result a high number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) are not getting the required care and support services. The Ghana AIDS Commission and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Ghana strategic plan, both indicate that care and support services for PLHIV and orphans are grossly inadequate and that the institutional capacity, training, resources, food and cash to provide these services by the public and private sectors are limited and sometimes non-existent. The goal of the HOPE programme was to improve care, support and economic opportunities for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) and PLHIV in high HIV/AIDS prevalence areas—Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra and Western Regions—from 2004 to 2009. It was a 5 year programme which began in 2004 and ended in 2009. Funding for the interventions for the support group came from the USAID with a small amount (0.5 %) from the Ghana AIDS Commission
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