Abstract
BackgroundThe rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) appear to be increasing in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people as compared to non-HIV infected people and this will have major implications for clinical care. The aim of the current study was to profile selected cardiovascular disease risk factors among HIV patients on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in Bushbuckridge sub-district.MethodsThe current study followed a quantitative cross-sectional study design using a questionnaire which was adapted from World Health Organization STEPwise approach to Surveillance (WHO STEPS). Participants were HIV infected people on ART and data was entered into a computer software Microsoft excel, then imported to Stata 12 for analysis.DiscussionThe overall prevalence of overweight at the initiation of ART amongst the participants was 18.1% and obesity was 11.5% as compared to the time of the study which was 21.4% overweight and 19.6% obese. The average time of ART initiation to study period was 3.6 years. The study findings revealed a significant difference (p-value 0.006) between the baseline and current body mass index at time of study for females. Hypertension was found to be having a significant difference (p-value 0.026 and 0.038) between the baseline and current body mass index at time of study for males and females respectively. The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 34.6%, overweight was 21.4% obesity was 19.6%.The overall prevalence of abnormal waist circumference was 31.9% and females had a higher prevalence of 42.5% as compared to 4.4% of males. The overall prevalence of smoking 10.8% and alcohol consumption was 21.7%. Males were 22.5 times more likely to be smokers than females (p < 0.001) and older people were found to be 0.3 times less likely to consume alcohol as compared to young people.ConclusionsThe high levels of selected risk factors for NCDs among adults on ART in the current study area suggest an urgent need for health interventions to control risk factors in an era of HIV with an aim of reducing multiple morbidity of chronic diseases. Occurrence of NCDs and their risk factors with an aim to achieve positive effects of the long-term ART.
Highlights
The rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) appear to be increasing in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people as compared to non-HIV infected people and this will have major implications for clinical care
The four main NCDs which are being targeted for control globally are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes and the selected NCD risk factors targeted for control are tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, salt intake, obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and diabetes, and physical inactivity [2,3,4]
Criteria for the diagnosis of hypertension were those proposed by World Health Organization (WHO)/International Society of Hypertension using the average systolic BP of 140mmHg or higher, or if the average diastolic BP was 90mmHg or higher, or if participants were on anti-hypertensive treatment [20, 24]
Summary
The rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) appear to be increasing in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people as compared to non-HIV infected people and this will have major implications for clinical care. The four main NCDs which are being targeted for control globally are cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), chronic respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes and the selected NCD risk factors targeted for control are tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, salt intake, obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose and diabetes, and physical inactivity [2,3,4]. The development of health systems that are receptive, accessible and equipped to deal with the challenge of prevention and treatment of NCDs is a global priority. Achieving this type of health system will aid in the management of people with NCDs and reduce multiple morbidity [6]
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