HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa
Background: Studies exploring HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have suggested their poorer knowledge about HIV. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa (SA), the epicentre of the country’s HIV epidemic, improving KAP is essential for...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2021-06-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1586 |
| _version_ | 1818180707862708224 |
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| author | Thembeka Matshoba Sibongile Mashaphu Andrew Tomita Saeeda Paruk |
| author_facet | Thembeka Matshoba Sibongile Mashaphu Andrew Tomita Saeeda Paruk |
| author_sort | Thembeka Matshoba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Studies exploring HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have suggested their poorer knowledge about HIV. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa (SA), the epicentre of the country’s HIV epidemic, improving KAP is essential for reduce its incidence amongst individuals with SMI. Comparing the KAP related to HIV between those with SMI and chronic medical illnesses (CMI) such as hypertension and diabetes may expose gaps in KAP related to HIV in the mentally ill who are more vulnerable to HIV.
Aim: This study aimed to compare the KAP related to HIV between people living with SMI and CMI.
Setting: Outpatient clinics in Durban, SA.
Methods: A cross-sectional structured questionnaire survey was conducted amongst 214 adult outpatients with SMI and CMI attending two general public sector hospitals in Durban, KZN. The KAP questionnaire consisted of three sections: general information, prevention and transmission of HIV.
Results: Interviews were conducted with 124 patients with SMI and 90 with CMI. Most were female (69.5%), single (57.5%) and unemployed (59.4%). The diagnosis of SMI was associated with poorer general information of HIV (p = 0.02), but not with its prevention and transmission compared with those with CMI. Educational level was associated with poorer performance in all three domains: general information of HIV (p = 0.01), prevention (p = 0.01) and transmission (p = 0.02) amongst all the participants.
Conclusion: Gaps in the KAP of HIV amongst individuals with SMI compared with those with CMI suggested a need to provide focused health promotion regarding sexual health and HIV to the mentally ill at psychiatric facilities. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:24:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ce8839dadc2e4090a27743db3e3c3ae3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1608-9685 2078-6786 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:24:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-ce8839dadc2e4090a27743db3e3c3ae32022-12-22T00:50:22ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Psychiatry1608-96852078-67862021-06-01270e1e810.4102/sajpsychiatry.v27i0.1586556HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South AfricaThembeka Matshoba0Sibongile Mashaphu1Andrew Tomita2Saeeda Paruk3Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanCentre for Rural Health, School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; and, KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP), College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, DurbanBackground: Studies exploring HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have suggested their poorer knowledge about HIV. In KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa (SA), the epicentre of the country’s HIV epidemic, improving KAP is essential for reduce its incidence amongst individuals with SMI. Comparing the KAP related to HIV between those with SMI and chronic medical illnesses (CMI) such as hypertension and diabetes may expose gaps in KAP related to HIV in the mentally ill who are more vulnerable to HIV. Aim: This study aimed to compare the KAP related to HIV between people living with SMI and CMI. Setting: Outpatient clinics in Durban, SA. Methods: A cross-sectional structured questionnaire survey was conducted amongst 214 adult outpatients with SMI and CMI attending two general public sector hospitals in Durban, KZN. The KAP questionnaire consisted of three sections: general information, prevention and transmission of HIV. Results: Interviews were conducted with 124 patients with SMI and 90 with CMI. Most were female (69.5%), single (57.5%) and unemployed (59.4%). The diagnosis of SMI was associated with poorer general information of HIV (p = 0.02), but not with its prevention and transmission compared with those with CMI. Educational level was associated with poorer performance in all three domains: general information of HIV (p = 0.01), prevention (p = 0.01) and transmission (p = 0.02) amongst all the participants. Conclusion: Gaps in the KAP of HIV amongst individuals with SMI compared with those with CMI suggested a need to provide focused health promotion regarding sexual health and HIV to the mentally ill at psychiatric facilities.https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1586hivhuman immunodeficiency virusaidsacquired immune deficiencyknowledgeattitudepracticessouth africa |
| spellingShingle | Thembeka Matshoba Sibongile Mashaphu Andrew Tomita Saeeda Paruk HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa South African Journal of Psychiatry hiv human immunodeficiency virus aids acquired immune deficiency knowledge attitude practices south africa |
| title | HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa |
| title_full | HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa |
| title_short | HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in Durban, South Africa |
| title_sort | hiv knowledge attitudes and practices amongst patients with severe mental illnesses and chronic medical illnesses in durban south africa |
| topic | hiv human immunodeficiency virus aids acquired immune deficiency knowledge attitude practices south africa |
| url | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1586 |
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