Perceptions and determinants of healthy eating for people with HIV in the Dominican Republic who experience food insecurity

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Deshira D Wallace ◽  
Denise D Payán ◽  
Amarilis Then-Paulino ◽  
Gabriela Armenta ◽  
María Altagracia Fulcar ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: The current study aimed to understand how moderate and severe food-insecure people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the Dominican Republic perceive a healthy diet and explore facilitators and barriers to engaging in healthy dietary behaviours as a means of HIV self-management. Design: We conducted semi-structured interviews with PLHIV. We generated codes on food insecurity among PLHIV and used content analysis to organise codes for constant comparison between and within participants. Setting: Two urban HIV clinics in the Dominican Republic. Participants: Thirty-two PLHIV participated in the interviews. Results: Factors that contributed to dietary behaviours include individual factors, such as knowledge of nutrition, views and attitudes on healthy dietary behaviours, beliefs about dietary needs for PLHIV and diet functionality. Interpersonal factors, including assistance from family and peers in providing food or funds, were deemed critical along with community and organisational factors, such as food assistance from HIV clinics, accessibility to a variety of food store types and the availability of diverse food options at food stores. Policy-level factors that influenced dietary behaviours were contingent on respondents’ participation in the labour market (i.e. whether they were employed) and consistent access to government assistance. Food insecurity influenced these factors through unpredictability and a lack of control. Conclusions: PLHIV who experience food insecurity face various barriers to engaging in healthy dietary behaviours. Their diets are influenced at multiple levels of influence ranging from individual to structural, requiring multi-level interventions that can address these factors concurrently.

Author(s):  
Anna Li ◽  
Taylor McCabe ◽  
Erin Silverstein ◽  
Stephanie Dragan ◽  
Nancy M. Salbach ◽  
...  

Objective: To identify factors to consider for developing and implementing a community-based exercise (CBE) program for people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with PLWH, rehabilitation professionals, and recreation providers from Canada and the United Kingdom. We asked participants to describe their experience with exercise, facilitators, and barriers to accessing and participating in exercise, and factors to consider in developing a CBE program for PLWH. Interviews were analyzed using content analytical techniques. Results: We developed a Framework of CBE in the Context of HIV that describes (1) exercise experiences of PLWH (nature of exercise, motivators for initiating or sustaining exercise, perceived benefits, and barriers and facilitators to exercise) and (2) 11 factors to consider in developing and implementing a CBE program for PLWH. Conclusion: Recommendations for the development and implementation of an accessible and feasible CBE program may enhance exercise participation among PLWH.


AIDS Care ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn P. Derose ◽  
Israel Ríos-Castillo ◽  
María Altagracia Fulcar ◽  
Denise D. Payán ◽  
Kartika Palar ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Chia-Hui Yu ◽  
Chu-Yu Huang ◽  
Nai-Ying Ko ◽  
Heng-Hsin Tung ◽  
Hui-Man Huang ◽  
...  

People living with HIV (PLWH) face social stigma which makes disclosure of HIV status difficult. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of stigmatization in the process of disease disclosure among PLWH in Taiwan. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews from 19 PLWH in Taiwan revealed two phases and six themes. Phase one “experiences before disclosure” involved three themes: “Struggles under the pressure of concealing the HIV Status,” “Torn between fear of unemployment/isolation and desire to protect closed ones,” and “Being forced to disclose the HIV status.” Phase two “experiences after disclosure” included three themes: “Receiving special considerations and requirements from school or work,” “Receiving differential treatments in life and when seeking medical care,” and “Stress relief and restart.” Healthcare professionals need to assess stigmatization in PLWH and develop individualized approaches to assist with the disease disclosure process.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Kitilya ◽  
Erica Sanga ◽  
George PrayGod ◽  
Robert Peck ◽  
Bazil B Kavishe ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundPeople Living with HIV (PLWH) have low levels of physical activity. Understanding of perceptions, facilitators and barriers of physical activity in this population is of importance for future perspectives in developing contextual based intervention to improve physical activity in PLWH. MethodThis study explored perceptions, facilitators and barriers of physical activity in PLWH using sixteen in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania. The interviews and discussions were audio recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Transcripts were coded and analysed deductively using thematic content analysis. The themes were interpreted and presented using the social ecological model. ResultsForty-three PLWH age 23-61 years old participated in this study. The findings showed that, PLWH perceived physical activity was beneficial to their health and that their perceptions and practices were rooted within the existing gender stereotypes and roles in the community. In addition to that, house-chores and income generating activities were perceived as sufficient physical activity to achieve adequate levels of physical activity. As facilitators, social support and interactions from family and friends were appraised positively as motivating factors of physical activity in this population. Indeed, at individual to community/environmental levels, PLWH reported barriers of physical activity were lack of time, money, and availability of facilities, as well as lack of social groups participating in physical activity in the communities and inadequate information on physical activity from health care providers at ART clinics. HIV disease was not reported as a main barrier of physical activity but rather stipulated from family members as a reason not to support physical activity in PLWH. ConclusionThe findings demonstrated differing perceptions, facilitators and barriers of physical activity among PLWH. Interventions addressing physical activity awareness, gender stereotypes and roles relating to physical activity performances from individual to community level, building supportive environment and infrastructures are needed to elevate physical activity levels in PLWH particularly in low and -middle income countries.


Author(s):  
Godwin Aondohemba Timiun ◽  
Timothy J. Scrase

In spite the identification of stigma as a factor impeding public utilisation of HIV counselling, testing, and treatment services in Nigeria, gaps still exist in knowledge on the impact of stigma, and discrimination on adherence to medication amongst people living with HIV (PLWH). This study adopted mixed methods to examine the impact of stigma and discrimination on adherence to medication amongst PLWH in Nigeria.  A sample of 1,621 respondents was collected using multi-stage and purposive sampling methods. Structured interviews using questionnaires and in-depth interviews (using a guide) were utilised for data collection. SPSS (version 21) was used for quantitative data analysis while the qualitative data was analysed thematically. There are 46.3% men and 53.7% women respondents. Generally, their income is low, 70.7% are earning less than N25, 000 (approximately $125 USD) per month. Some of the HIV patients are stigmatised. In reaction, they avoid public places, travel long distances away from their immediate community to collect drugs and to avoid been noticed around the centers. They sometimes miss taking drugs regularly as prescribed, suffer depression and die. Stigma and discrimination impede adherence to medication amongst PLHW in Nigeria. More efforts should be made to create awareness to reduce stigma and discrimination of HIV patients, while augmenting their income to meet up with the challenges of adherence to medication. The overall benefits would be enhanced mechanism of HIV prevention, treatment and control in the study area.


2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232110642
Author(s):  
Chelsi W Ohueri ◽  
Alexandra A. García ◽  
Julie A. Zuñiga

Approximately 10–15% of people living with HIV are also diagnosed with diabetes. To manage their two chronic conditions, people must undertake certain activities and adopt behaviors. Due to overlapping symptoms, complex medication regimens, and heavy patient workloads, implementing these self-management practices can be difficult. In this focused ethnography, data were collected from semi-structured interviews and limited participant-observation with a selected subset of participants to gain insight into self-management challenges and facilitators. We conducted interviews and multiple observations with 22 participants with HIV+T2DM over the period of 9 months. Participants experienced numerous barriers to self-management in the areas of diet, medication adherence, and mental health. Social and familial support, as well as consistent access to care, were facilitators for optimal self-management. At the same time participants’ lives were in a unique flux shaped by the dual diagnoses, and therefore, required constant mental and physical adjustments, thus illustrating challenges of managing chronicity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrina Koehn ◽  
Taylor McLinden ◽  
Alexandra B Collins ◽  
Patrick McDougall ◽  
Rosalind Baltzer-Turje ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:Food insecurity, or self-reports of inadequate food access due to limited financial resources, remains prevalent among people living with HIV (PLHIV). We examined the impact of food insecurity on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) adherence within an integrated care programme that provides services to PLHIV, including two meals per day.Design:Adjusted OR (aOR) were estimated by generalized estimating equations, quantifying the relationship between food insecurity (exposure) and cART adherence (outcome) with multivariable logistic regression.Setting:We drew on survey data collected between February 2014 and March 2016 from the Dr. Peter Centre Study based in Vancouver, Canada.Participants:The study included 116 PLHIV at baseline, with ninety-nine participants completing a 12-month follow-up interview. The median (quartile 1–quartile 3) age was 46 (39–52) years at baseline and 87 % (n 101) were biologically male at birth.Results:At baseline, 74 % (n 86) of participants were food insecure (≥2 affirmative responses on Health Canada’s Household Food Security Survey Module) and 67 % (n 78) were adherent to cART ≥95 % of the time. In the adjusted regression analysis, food insecurity was associated with suboptimal cART adherence (aOR = 0·47, 95 % CI 0·24, 0·93).Conclusions:While food provision may reduce some health-related harms, there remains a relationship between this prevalent experience and suboptimal cART adherence in this integrated care programme. Future studies that elucidate strategies to mitigate food insecurity and its effects on cART adherence among PLHIV in this setting and in other similar environments are necessary.


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