New HIV/AIDS findings from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine described.
Research findings, 'Survey of children accessing HIV services in a high prevalence setting: time for adolescents to count,' are discussed in a new report. "To establish the proportion of adolescents among children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Zimbabwe who receive HIV care and support, and what clinic staff perceives to be the main problems faced by HIV-infected children and adolescents. In July 2008, we sent a questionnaire to all 131 facilities providing HIV care in Zimbabwe," scientists in London, the United Kingdom report (see also HIV/AIDS).
"In it we requested an age breakdown of the children (aged 0-19 years) registered for care and asked what were the two major problems faced by younger children (0-5 years) and adolescents (10-19 years). Nationally, 115 (88%) facilities responded. In 98 (75%) that provided complete data, 196 032 patients were registered and 24 958 (13%) of them were children. Of children under HIV care, 33% were aged 0-4 years; 25%, 5-9 years; 25%, 10-14 years; and 17%, 15-19 years. Staff highlighted differences in the problems most commonly faced by younger children and adolescents. For younger children, such problems were malnutrition and lack of appropriate drugs (cited by 46% and 40% of clinics, respectively); for adolescents they concerned psychosocial issues and poor drug adherence (cited by 56% and 36%, respectively)," wrote R. Ferrand and colleagues, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The researchers concluded: "Interventions for the large cohort of adolescents who are receiving HIV care in Zimbabwe need to target the psychosocial concerns and poor drug adherence reported by staff as being the main concerns in this age group."
Ferrand and colleagues published their study in Bulletin of the World Health Organization (Survey of children accessing HIV services in a high prevalence setting: time for adolescents to count? Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2010;88(6):428-34).
For more information, contact R. Ferrand, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, England.
Keywords: City:London, Country:United Kingdom, HIV Infections, HIV/AIDS, Pediatrics, Primate Lentiviruses, Psychosocial, RNA Viruses, Retroviridae, Vertebrate Viruses, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Science Letter via NewsRx.com.
"In it we requested an age breakdown of the children (aged 0-19 years) registered for care and asked what were the two major problems faced by younger children (0-5 years) and adolescents (10-19 years). Nationally, 115 (88%) facilities responded. In 98 (75%) that provided complete data, 196 032 patients were registered and 24 958 (13%) of them were children. Of children under HIV care, 33% were aged 0-4 years; 25%, 5-9 years; 25%, 10-14 years; and 17%, 15-19 years. Staff highlighted differences in the problems most commonly faced by younger children and adolescents. For younger children, such problems were malnutrition and lack of appropriate drugs (cited by 46% and 40% of clinics, respectively); for adolescents they concerned psychosocial issues and poor drug adherence (cited by 56% and 36%, respectively)," wrote R. Ferrand and colleagues, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The researchers concluded: "Interventions for the large cohort of adolescents who are receiving HIV care in Zimbabwe need to target the psychosocial concerns and poor drug adherence reported by staff as being the main concerns in this age group."
Ferrand and colleagues published their study in Bulletin of the World Health Organization (Survey of children accessing HIV services in a high prevalence setting: time for adolescents to count? Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 2010;88(6):428-34).
For more information, contact R. Ferrand, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT, England.
Keywords: City:London, Country:United Kingdom, HIV Infections, HIV/AIDS, Pediatrics, Primate Lentiviruses, Psychosocial, RNA Viruses, Retroviridae, Vertebrate Viruses, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2010, Science Letter via NewsRx.com.
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