Undernutrition And Associated Factors Among Reproductive Age Groups of Women on Antiretroviral Therapy In Public Health Facilities of South Borena Pastoralist Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, 2021

Abstract

Background: Undernutrition refers to deficiencies or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. HIV/AIDS leads to undernutrition, and undernutrition leads to immune impairment, worsening the effect of HIV, and contributing to more rapid progression to AIDS. The increased energy needs as well the negative effects of common HIV-related infections increase the nutrition risk of HIV-infected women of reproductive age group at large population segments. The study aims at assessing the prevalence of undernutrition and its associated factors among this group. Objectives: To study undernutrition and associated factors among reproductive age group women on antiretroviral therapy in Borana zone public health facilities, from October 15/2020 to November 30, 2020. Methods: Health institution-based Cross-sectional study was conducted on 237 Women of Reproductive age group on Antiretroviral Therapy/Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission in Borana zone public health facilities. Study participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected through reviewing medical records and interviewing selected patients. The collected data were entered into the computer using Epi-Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for data processing and analysis. The prevalence of undernutrition was estimated using 95% CI for a single proportion. Multinomial logistic regression is used to identify factors associated with viral suppression. The magnitude of association is estimated using an odds ratio of 95%CI. The significance of association is declared for P-Value ≤ 0.05. Result: The majority of the respondents’ age groups were between 25-29 (28.3%) and followed by 30-34 (23.6%) and 35- 39 (21.1%), 109 (46%) were housewives and 47 (20.7%) were merchant by, 114 (48.1%) were illiterate and 43 (18.1%) of them were read and write, 171 (72.12%) were married and 28(11.8%) were Divorced by marital. The prevalence of undernutrition was 35.9%. Conclusion: Undernutrition is the most prevalent in this area and educational status, WHO stage, and occupation was among the common factors.