International Journal of Medicine and Health Development (Jan 2019)
Determinants of psychosocial disorders among caregivers of HIV-infected children in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a global pandemic. Nigeria has the highest burden of pediatric HIV worldwide. HIV-infected children and their caregivers are predisposed to significant psychosocial disorder. This disorder may be provoked by some risk factors. Aim: To determine the factors responsible for psychosocial disorders among the caregivers of HIV-infected children in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based comparative study. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled consecutively. The HIV status and other sociodemographic variables of the caregivers were obtained. General Health Questionnaire (28-item version) was used to assess their psychosocial status. Thereafter, the association between psychosocial disorders and their sociodemographic variables was ascertained. Results: A total of 154 caregivers of HIV-infected children (subjects) and 154 caregivers of HIV-negative children (controls) were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of psychosocial disorders among the subjects was 39% compared to that of 2.6% among the controls. The determinants of psychosocial disorders among these subjects were the child’s age group of 2–4 years (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 3.60), caregiver’s gender (P < 0.001, OR = 13.48), lower socioeconomic class (P < 0.001, OR = 37.14), divorced caregiver (P = 0.03, OR = 10.33), death of a spouse (P < 0.001, OR = 8.84), additional HIV-infected family member (P = 0.015, OR = 2.56), and unsupportive spouse (P = 0.027, OR = 2.113). Conclusion: The determinants of psychosocial disorders among the caregivers of HIV-infected children were the age of the HIV-infected child, female caregivers, lower socioeconomic class, marital status, additional HIV-infected family member, and lack of spouse support.
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