Socio-demographic determinants of basic knowledge on HIV care and treatment among HIV infected patients at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam Tanzania: A cross sectional study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess patient’s basic knowledge on their own Human Immunodeficiency viral infection care and treatment, and socio-demographic determinants of such knowledge.

Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at the Muhimbili National Hospital HIV clinic between August and September 2013 among HIV infected adults. Socio-demographic data was collected. Ten knowledge questions were used to assess patients’ basic knowledge on HIV care and treatment. Patients were considered knowledgeable if they scored 80 percent in the knowledge questions and not knowledgeable if they scored <80 percent. CTC card number 1 and 2 were used to verify information given by patients. Chi square and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare categorical variables. Determinants of the knowledge were analyzed using logistic regression. P value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 267 patients participated in the study. Majority was females (76%), age 36 years (68.5%), jobless (35.2%) and those with education below secondary level (68.1%). Generally, 57.3% (153/267) of the respondents had basic knowledge on their HIV care and treatment. Age group 18-25 years had high percentage of knowledgeable respondents (12/14, 85.7%), p=0.029, so were those with secondary and post-secondary education (36/46, 78.3%), p=0.002, those who got HIV information from multiple sources (70/91, 76.9%), p<0.001, and those with HIV infection for 8 years (60/76, 75.9%). Females were more likely to know the indications for trimethoprimsulphamethoxazole chemoprophylaxis and effects of unprotected sex while using ARV than were men, p= 0.005, and 0.004 respectively.

Conclusion: Fewer patients were knowledgeable. Knowledge was influenced by young age, secondary and post-secondary education, mixed sources of HIV information and longer duration of HIV disease. Predictors of knowledge were level of education, source of HIV information and duration of HIV.

Keywords: HIV care and treatment, basic HIV knowledge, socio-demographic determinants, HIV-infected patients