The effectiveness of routine nutrition assessment in the treatment and care of people living with HIV and AIDS in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa : a case study of Lukhanji Sub District

Date
2013-03
Authors
Chapfunga, Merlyn Tapuwa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With the knowledge that HIV and malnutrition are interlinked, a great need for on-going nutritional assessment becomes critical in the treatment and care of people living with HIV and AIDS. In the absences of ARV treatment , people living with HIV and AIDS tend to lose weight and eventually become undernourished whilst ARV treatment is associated with longer life span hence they tend to gain weight becoming overweight or obese. This study attempted to determine the effectiveness of routine nutritional assessment offered to improve the nutrition status, well-being and quality of life of people living with HIV and AIDS attending HIV treatment and care facilities in Lukhanji Sub District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The thesis reports on the findings collected from an interview guide with semi structured interviews from twenty (20) non pregnant adults that consisted of fourteen (14) females and six (6) males living with HIV and AIDS and not hospitalised. To determine the effectiveness of nutritional assessment the study used descriptive methods and convenience sampling. The study results demonstrated that the routine nutritional assessments being provided to the HIV clients are useful to detect and track body changes and trends to determine the effectiveness of nutrition therapy in slowing the progression of the disease. Furthermore the study showed that the nutrition interventions currently provided at facility site focuses mainly on under nutrition and very little to address over nutrition. In conclusion this study highlighted to some extent the effectiveness of nutrition assessment in treatment and care of PLHIVs with the limited time and the sample size. Hence, recommendations can be made to improve on this study to determine the effectiveness of nutrition assessment further.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die lig van die bewese verband tussen MIV en wanvoeding, is voortdurende voedingsassessering noodsaaklik in die behandeling en versorging van mense met MIV en vigs. Sonder antiretrovirale behandeling verloor mense met MIV en vigs gewoonlik gewig, en is uiteindelik ondervoed. Daarenteen word antiretrovirale behandeling met ’n langer lewensverwagting en gevolglike gewigstoename verbind, en is sodanige pasiënte dikwels oorgewig of vetsugtig. Hierdie studie was daarop afgestem om die doeltreffendheid te bepaal van huidige roetinevoedingsassessering in die verbetering van die voedingstatus, welstand en lewensgehalte van diegene met MIV en vigs by MIV-behandeling-en-sorgfasiliteite in die Lukhanji-subdistrik van die provinsie Oos-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Dié werkstuk doen verslag oor data wat ingesamel is met behulp van ’n onderhoudsgids. Semigestruktureerde onderhoude is met twintig (20) nie-swanger volwassenes gevoer. Die respondente het bestaan uit veertien (14) vroue en ses (6) mans met MIV en vigs wat nié gehospitaliseer is nie. Die doeltreffendheid van die voedingsassessering is met behulp van beskrywende metodes en geriefsteekproefneming bepaal. Die resultate toon dat die roetinevoedingsassessering wat tans aan die MIV-kliënte voorsien word, nuttig is om liggaamsveranderinge en -tendense op te spoor en dop te hou ten einde die rol van voedingsterapie in die verlangsaming van siekteprogressie te bepaal. Voorts dui die studie daarop dat die voedingsintervensies wat tans by die betrokke persele voorsien word, hoofsaaklik op ondervoeding konsentreer, dog weinig aandag aan oorvoeding skenk. Ten slotte beklemtoon hierdie studie in ’n sekere mate die doeltreffendheid van voedingsassessering in die behandeling en versorging van pasiënte met MIV, met inagneming van die beperkte studietydperk en steekproefgrootte. Aanbevelings kan dus gedoen word om op hierdie studie te verbeter en die doeltreffendheid van voedingsassessering verder te ondersoek.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
Keywords
Dissertations -- Industrial psychology, Theses -- Industrial psychology, Assigments -- Industrial psychology, Dissertations -- HIV/AIDS management, Theses -- HIV/AIDS management, Assignments -- HIV/AIDS management, AIDS (Disease) -- Patients -- Nutrition -- Soutj Africa -- Eastern Cape, HIV-positive persons -- Nutrition -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
Citation