Predictors of Dietary Diversity among HIV Clients in a Low-resource Tertiary Health Facility in Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

Background: In a resource-limited setting where nutrient availability is a challenge, it may be necessary to determine factors that affect dietary diversity in people living with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) as addressing them could lead to better access to diversified diets in this group. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the factors that influence dietary diversity among HIV clients attending the HIV clinic in a low-resource tertiary health facility. Materials and Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV clients receiving anti-retroviral therapy in Enugu state, Nigeria. A systematic random sampling technique was employed in selecting the study participants. Bivariate analysis was done using the chi-square test which was further subjected to multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine predictors of dietary diversity. Results: In this study, respondents who earned a family monthly income of 72.5 US dollars and below were 2.6 times less likely to have high dietary diversity (AOR = 0.378, CI = 0.180–0.792) compared to those who earned above 145 dollars. Also, HIV clients on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis were 2.3 times more likely to have high dietary diversity (AOR = 2.304, CI = 1.155–4.598) compared to those who were not on the prophylaxis. Conclusions: High family monthly income and being on cotrimoxazole prophylaxis were predictors of high dietary diversity in People living with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, there is a need to improve the income of PLWHA as well as ensure the ready availability of cotrimoxazole to reduce the rate of opportunistic infections thus leading to better consumption of diversified diets.