Socio-demographic characteristics of aids orphans in era of free antiretroviral therapy at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Children are orphaned by AIDS when either or both their parents die from AIDS related ′llnesses. With the National response to combat AIDS orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) situation in Nigeria and in an era of free antiretroviral therapy (ART), we undertook to evaluate the sociodemographic characteristics of AIDS orphans in a tertiary institution. Methods: The sociodemographic characteristics of HIV infected AIDS orphans were compared to their non orphan counterparts using a proforma. Results: Of the 155 HIV infected children, 49(31.6%) were orphans. There were more male orphans 02(65.3 %) and more paternal orphans 24(49.0%). The mean age of the orphans was 7.6 ΁ 4.4(range 1.3 -1.7) years. The majority of the subjects were malnourished irrespective of orphan status. Conclusion: The socio-demographic characteristics of orphans is not significant different from the non orphan. However, there is need to attend to the nutrition of all HIV infected children.

Keywords

• Orphans
• vulnerable children
• HIV
• AIDS