We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Lessons Learned from the Impact of HIV Status Disclosure to Children after First-Line Antiretroviral Treatment Failure in Kinshasa, DR Congo.
- Authors
Kitetele, Faustin Nd.; Lelo, Gilbert M.; Akele, Cathy E.; Lelo, Patricia V. M.; Aketi, Loukia; Mafuta, Eric M.; Tylleskär, Thorkild; Kashala-Abotnes, Espérance
- Abstract
HIV status disclosure to children remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. For sociocultural reasons, parents often delay disclosure with subsequent risks to treatment compliance and the child's psychological well-being. This article assesses the effects of HIV disclosure on second-line ART compliance after first-line failure. We conducted a retrospective study of 52 HIV-positive children at Kalembelembe Pediatric Hospital in Kinshasa who were unaware of their HIV status and had failed to respond to the first-line ART. Before starting second-line ART, some parents agreed to disclosure. All children were followed before and during the second-line ART. Conventional usual descriptive statistics were used. For analysis, the children were divided into two groups: disclosed to (n = 39) and not disclosed to (n = 13). Before starting the second-line ART, there was no difference in CD4 count between the two groups (p = 0.28). At the end of the first year of second-line ART, the difference was statistically significant between the two groups with regard to CD4% (p < 0.001) and deaths (p = 0.001). The children disclosed to also reported fewer depressive symptoms post-disclosure and had three times fewer clinic visits. HIV status disclosure to children is an important determinant of ART compliance and a child's psychological well-being.
- Subjects
CONGO (Brazzaville); HIV infections; DISCLOSURE; WELL-being; ANTIRETROVIRAL agents; HEALTH status indicators; TREATMENT failure; PATIENTS' attitudes; DRUGS; MENTAL depression; PATIENT compliance; PARENT-child relationships; CHILDREN
- Publication
Children, 2022, Vol 9, Issue 12, p1955
- ISSN
2227-9067
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/children9121955