title: Psychosocial correlates of nutritional status among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: A matched case-control study in Central zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malnutrition hastens progression to Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Syndromes (AIDS) related illnesses; undermines adherence and response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-poor settings. However, nutritional status of people living with HIV (PLHIV) can be affected by various psychosocial factors which have not been well explored in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine psychosocial correlates of nutritional status among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on ART in Central zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A matched case-control study design was conducted to assess psychosocial correlates of nutritional status among PLHIV on ART. Data were collected by an interviewer-administered technique using structured pre-tested questionnaire, record review using a checklist and anthropometric measurements. Cases were selected by simple random sampling and controls purposively to match the selected cases. Conditional logistic regression was used to compute relevant associations by STATA version 12.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The psychosocial factors independently associated with malnutrition were ever consuming alcohol after starting ART [AOR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.8-12.3], ever smoking cigarette after starting ART [AOR = 7.6, 95% CI: 2.3-25.5], depression [AOR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.3, 6.1], not adhering to ART [AOR = 6.8,95% CI: 2.0-23.0] and being in the second lowest wealth quintile [AOR = 4.3,95% CI: 1.1-17.7].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ever consuming alcohol and ever smoking cigarette after starting ART, depression, not adhering to ART and being in the second lowest wealth quintile were significantly associated with malnutrition. Therefore; policies, strategies, and programs targeting people living with HIV should consider psychosocial factors that can impact nutritional status of people living with HIV enrolled on ART.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Aksum University, Aksum, Tigray, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Negassie Berhe
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7341-4288
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Weldehaweria
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Semara University, Semara, Afar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Elsa Hagos
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Abreha
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Aksum University, Aksum, Tigray, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Meresa Gebremedhin
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Weldu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Aksum University, Aksum, Tigray, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Kebede Haile
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Misgina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011584:Psychology
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents