Background
HIV-related mortality has diminished in the last two decades; however, the causes of death have shifted from AIDS to non-AIDS related causes such as tuberculosis and NCDs.
Comorbidities are a major public health problem among people living with HIV (PLWHIV), particularly in developing countries, where the HIV burden is the highest.
In Kenya, there are 1,400,000 PLWHIV but the impact of comorbidities is still not clearly defined.
Objectives
The target of the present proposal is to to provide comprehensive information on prevalence comorbidities on PLWHIV in Meru County in Kenya and the effect they have on HIV treatment outcomes.
Methods
A cross-sectional study will be carried out to assess the prevalence of CMs in HIV+ patients.
The sites taken into consideration are all (25) basic health facilities in the County of Meru trating HIV. All the HIV+ adult patients willing to join the study will be screened for comorbidities (nominally liver diseases, kidney diseases, dyslipidaemia, hepatitis B and C, siphyles, diabetes, hypertension, obesity/overweight).
In addition, a cohort study will be conducted in 3 selected sites to assess the impact of co-morbidities on short-term HIV-treatment outcome, mortality and nutritional status of PLWHIV. Patients will be screened for comorbidities and after a 6 month follow-up possible impact on health and HIV-treatment success will be evaluated.
Study duration
The period of study is 2 years (24months).
6 months to organize the activities
6 months for health education, data collection for the cross sectional study and baseline data for the cohort study
6 months for follow up of patients in the cohort study.
6 months are for analysis of data and dissemination of results.
Study protocol and ethics committee approval
