The Attitude of Adults Living with HIV/AIDS attending Hospitals towards HIV Status Disclosure in Slum Areas Nairobi County, Kenya

Author: Lydiah Achieng Obiero, Dr. Dominic Mogere, PHD, Dr. Faith Muhonja, PHD

Date: 2024

Abstract: HIV status disclosure among adults living with HIV/AIDS (ALWHA) is a crucial aspect of managing the disease, yet it remains a sensitive and challenging issue. In slum areas, where social, economic, and healthcare disparities are prominent, the attitudes towards disclosure may be influenced by multiple factors, including fear of stigma, discrimination, and social rejection.The purpose of the study was to investigate the Attitude of Adults Living with HIV/AIDS attending Slum Hospitals towards HIV Status Disclosure in Slum Areas Nairobi County, Kenya. According to a research done on HIV disclosure at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi, 54% of adults had done status revelation to loved ones, 46% had not. Hence, the urgent need to conduct the study to assess factors influencing disclosure of HIV status among adults living with HIV /AIDS (ALWHA) attending comprehensive care clinics (CCC) in hospitals in slum areas. Nairobi County, Kenya; with the focus of solving the niche of nondisclosure among Kenyans and slum hospitals in Nairobi in turn containing the spread of HIV virus.Respondents were: ALWHA and CCC healthcare workers in the six level 4 hospitals in Nairobi slums areas namely: Mathare North, Mukuru MMM, Kariobangi North, Kasarani, Dandora II and Makadara H/C. The study population was 10071 ALWHA; Yamane’s 1967 sampling formulae of n = N/1+ N (e) 2 deriving 400 participants; sampling technique used was simple random sampling method. Reliability and validity was checked by checking the questionnaires for completeness, peer reviews and by getting vast guidance from the university supervisors. Close-ended questionnaires and FGDs were administered to ALWHA whereas KII was given to 24 CCC healthcare workers to gather the research data. Pre-testing of research instruments was done at Korogocho health Centre. The following gave permission to gather data: MKU/ERC, NACOSTI, Nairobi County, sub-county MOH, facility in charges, and respondents signed consent form. Ethical considerations: confidentiality, informed consent, integrity and right to leave the study were upheld. Quantitative data was examined using SPPS version 26; qualitative information evaluated by content and theme. By putting the data into the computer, data cleaning and analysis were completed. Level of significance was assessed at p value 0.05 at 95% CI. The researcher concluded that women were the most affected gender by HIV virus since they accounted for close to 73.35 percent of HIV infection among Nairobi slum areas and they had positive health seeking behaviour than their male counterparts. In addition married couples were also the most affected group among respondents attending CCC in slum areas, due to married couples' 57.5 percent empowerment HIV status disclosure to sexual partners, has improved from 13 to 33.6 percent.Sensitization and health campaign to be done to young adults between 18-24 and known HIV positive who have not commenced ARVs and those who have stopped HIV care, since they are ones leading in HIV infection and in this study they were few yet they are the leading age in HIV infection more so females.

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