Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: July-September | Volume: 4 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 20-30
Socioeconomic Needs of Adults Living With HIV/AIDS in Jos, North Central Nigeria
Adamba GE1, Nwankwo BB2
1Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada
2Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Nigeria has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the world except for India and South Africa. PLWHA and their families have a wide variety of problems PLWHA and their families have a wide variety of problems which manifest in various degrees in the community, workplace, and health setting. This has given rise to a broad range of needs which require comprehensive care and support services. The needs include medical, psychosocial, socioeconomic and human rights/legal needs and involvement of PLWHA in the planning and delivery of care and support services.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to identify the socioeconomic needs, determine the effect of HIV/AIDS on income and measure the socioeconomic needs of adults living with HIV/AIDS attending two hospitals in Jos, Nigeria.
Results: The mean age of all 390 respondents interviewed was 33.4 + 7.7 years. In all, 245 (62.8%) respondents were females and 145 (37.2%) were males. Food clothing and shelter was reported as the most important socioeconomic needs for 63.6% of the respondents followed by money (54.5%). Over 47% reported a decrease in their income due to their HIV status (higher proportion of males (51.7%) compared with females (45.3%) (X2 = 1.669, p = 0.43) and higher professionals (60.0%) compared with other level of skills (X2 = 11.78, P = 0.161). About 12% reported change of jobs. Most (80%) reported that their total income is not enough to meet their basic needs and a quarter reportedly cannot feed themselves and their family for the next 3-5 years.
Conclusion: In conclusion, although food, clothes, shelter and money were considered as the most important socioeconomic needs among adult PLWHA in Jos, majority reported they cannot meet these needs for the next 3-5 years more so that their HIV positive status has led to a decrease in the income of some and even sack for a few. This calls for steps to strengthen socioeconomic support for PLWHA in order to meet these needs thus improving their quality of life.
Key words: socioeconomic needs, adult, HIV/AIDS, PLWHA.