Morbidity and nutrition status of rural drug-naïve Kenyan women living with HIV.
This paper describes morbidity in a group of HIV-positive drug-naïve rural women in western Kenya. A total of 226 drug-naïve HIV-positive women were evaluated for baseline morbidity, immune function, and anthropometry before a food-based nutrition intervention. Kenyan nurses visited women in their homes and conducted semi-structured interviews regarding symptoms and physical signs experienced at the time of the visit and during the previous week and physical inspection. Blood and urine samples were examined for determination of immune function (CD4, CD8, and total lymphocyte counts), anaemia, malaria, and pregnancy status. Intradermal skin testing with tuberculin (PPD), candida, and tetanus toxoid antigens was also performed to evaluate cell-mediated immunity. Anthropometry was measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Seventy-six per cent of the women reported being sick on the day of the interview or within the previous week. Illnesses considered serious were reported by 13.7% of women. The most frequent morbidity episodes reported were upper respiratory tract infections (13.3%), suspected malaria (5.85%), skeletal pain (4.87%), and stomach pain (4.42%). The most common morbidity signs on physical inspection were respiratory symptoms, most commonly rhinorrhea and coughing. Confirmed malaria and severe diarrhea were significantly associated with a higher BMI.
a David Geffen School of Medicine , University of California , Los Angeles , California , USA.|b Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health , University of California , Los Angeles , California , USA.
Charlotte G
CG
Neumann
c USAID - Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Partnership , Eldoret , Kenya.|d Department of Child Health and Pediatrics , Moi University , Eldoret , Kenya.
Winstone
W
Nyandiko
c USAID - Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) Partnership , Eldoret , Kenya.|d Department of Child Health and Pediatrics , Moi University , Eldoret , Kenya.
Abraham
A
Siika
b Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health , University of California , Los Angeles , California , USA.
Natalie
N
Drorbaugh
b Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health , University of California , Los Angeles , California , USA.|e Population Research Center , University of Texas at Austin , Austin , Texas , USA.
Goleen
G
Samari
f School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences , Moi University , Eldoret , Kenya.
Grace
G
Ettyang
g Indiana University School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences , Indianapolis , Indiana , USA.
Judith A
JA
Ernst
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000276:immunology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012424:Rural Population; D013745:Tetanus Toxoid / Q000097:blood; D014374:Tuberculin Test
D013745:Tetanus Toxoid
CD4 positive T-lymphocytes; Kenya; body composition; illness; infection