Abstract
BackgroundIn Ghana it is estimated that 1.2% of HIV infections occur in young people aged 15-24 but the representation in our clinics is small. Adherence to treatment, appointment keeping and knowledge of HIV status remains a challenge. Disclosure has been shown to result in better adherence to therapy, good clinical outcomes, psychological adjustment and reduction in the risk of HIV transmission when the young person becomes sexually active. A baseline study was conducted to ascertain if adolescents and young adults knew their HIV status and their knowledge on HIV. Informed consent and assent were obtained from willing participants. Self-administered questionnaires on general knowledge of HIV, HIV treatment and disclosure were collected and analyzed.ResultsThirty-four young persons participated in the study. The mean age was 16.9 ± SD 2.5 and 62% (21/32) were female. All of them were still in school. Eighty-five percent were aware that young people their age could fall sick, 91% had heard of HIV, 70% knew someone with HIV and 45% thought that adolescents were not at risk of HIV. On modes of HIV transmission, 66.7% knew HIV was transmitted through sex and 63.6% knew about mother to child transmission. Fifty three percent (18/34) knew their HIV status, 50% (17/34) were on antiretroviral and 35% (6/17) of them admitted to missing ARV doses. One person who said he was HIV negative and another who did not know his status were both on ARVs.ConclusionDisclosure of HIV status to adolescents and young people is dependent on a complex mix of factors and most practitioners recommend an age and developmentally appropriate disclosure. Thus it is highly individualized. The knowledge and awareness of HIV was 91% compared to 97% of adults in the most recent Ghana Demographic and Health Survey however only about two thirds had acceptable in depth knowledge on HIV. Only half knew their HIV status which was not the best considering their ages. There is the need to strengthen education to young persons with HIV, support adhere to ARVs for better outcomes and assist care givers to disclose HIV status to them.
Highlights
In Ghana it is estimated that 1.2% of human immune virus (HIV) infections occur in young people aged 15-24 but the representation in our clinics is small
This study found out the knowledge and disclosure of HIV status among adolescents and young adults attending adolescent HIV clinic
There is the need to strengthen education to young persons on HIV as well as support care givers to disclose HIV status and to support young people to adhere to ARVs for better outcomes
Summary
In Ghana it is estimated that 1.2% of HIV infections occur in young people aged 15-24 but the representation in our clinics is small. Disclosure has been shown to result in better adherence to therapy, good clinical outcomes, psychological adjustment and reduction in the risk of HIV transmission when the young person becomes sexually active. World Health organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly encourage disclosing HIV infection status to school aged children and younger children. They should be informed incrementally to accommodate their cognitive skills and emotional maturity [5,6]. Telling children and adolescents about their HIV infection is a challenging dilemma because children are often asymptomatic in the early stages of HIV infection, yet require daily medications and close monitoring [7]
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