Affiliation:
1. Bukavu High Institute of Medical Techniques (ISTM-Bukavu)
2. High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Patients with HIV consult traditional healers (THs). These THs can both delay care for people living with HIV (PLHIV) and transmit HIV through poor infection control practices. The main objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge and practices of THs regarding HIV in Bukavu.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 71 THs in Bukavu City. The collected data included the following topics: personal and socio-demographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, and infection control practices. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples T-test or F-test, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data with a p-value < 0.05.
Results: The THs’ mean age was 49.2 ± 11.2 years, and the majority were aged 40 to <60 years. Males constituted 88.7% of THs with a male-to-female ratio of 7.9. Findings of the study revealed that THs had inadequate knowledge about HIV infection and poor infection control practices.
Conclusion and recommendations: The study revealed that THs' knowledge about HIV infection was insufficient and that they had poor infection control practices. Formal standardized training on HIV infection should be organized for all THs so that they can always refer their patients to modern, reliable antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics and reduce the risk of occupational exposure in their practices.
Publisher
Research Square Platform LLC
Reference26 articles.
1. 1. UNAIDS. Country factsheets: Democratic Republic of the Congo [Internet]. unaids.org. 2023 [cited 07 February 2022]. Available from : https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/democraticrepublicofthecongo
2. 2. Booto GI, Selenge SM, Bongenya BI, Ntumba TK, Losenga LO, Dembo RD, et al. Clinical Profile of People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Starting Treatment in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. OALib Journal. 2022 ; 9(9) :1–12.
3. 3. Riziki RB, Mwangaza SM, Kashosi TM, Misuka BM, Bayunvanye FM, Kakulibo TM, et al. Screening for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, high blood pressure, and diabetes mellitus in the general population of South Kivu - Results of world AIDS day 2016. World J. AIDS. 2019;9 (1):11–22.
4. 4. Halperin J, Katz M, Pathmanathan I, Myers L, Van Sickels N, Seal PS, et al. Early HIV diagnosis leads to significantly decreased costs in the first 2 years of HIV care in an urban charity hospital in New Orleans. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2017;16(6):527 − 30.
5. 5. Clinical info HIV. Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents. Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected adults and adolescents. The Department of Health and Human Services [Internet]. clinicalinfo.hiv.gov. 2022 [cited 13 April 2022]. Available from: https://clinicalinfo.hiv.gov/sites/default/files/guidelines/archive/AdultandAdo lescentGL_2021_08_16.pdf