Abstract:
Malnutrition is a major public health problem that has been linked to a substantial
increase in the risk of mortality and morbidity among people living with Human Immune
Deficiency Virus. There are number of researches done on under nutrition and its associated
factors among Adult People living with HIV in this study area and other parts of the country.
Most of the researches done were before 2016 in which the problem related to the issue of study
still a problematic area. Today, ART services are separated from other services which was
integrated with other services before this and the studies done before also did not address all the
variables and the methods used for data collection was also not that much enough to pick out
the ideal problem to have strong and enough solution for intervention purposes.
Objective: To determine under nutrition and its associated factors among adult patients on Anti Retroviral Treatment at Hiwot Fana comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Harar, Eastern
Ethiopia from December 15, 2021 to January 30, 2022.
Methods: Facility-based based cross-sectional study was conducted among 475 clients selected
by systematic random sampling methods, attending anti-retroviral therapy in Hiwot Fana
comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Data were collected using chart review, interviewer
administered questionnaires and anthropometric measurements and was entered into EPI data
software. Binary logistic regression was used to assess association between different risk factors
and under nutrition. Confidence interval of 95% was considered to see the precision of the study
and the level of significance were taken at α <0.05.
Results: The findings showed that the magnitude of undernutrition among adult patients on
ART was 42.1% [95% CI: 37.8, 46.8)]. Age group 36-50 (AOR 3.24 95%CI, 1.79, 5.85), duration
on ART (AOR2.78 95% CI, 1.41, 5.51), taking CPT while on ART (AOR 3.40 95% CI 1.71, 6.77) and
presence of current opportunistic infection (OI) (AOR, 2.70 95% CI, 1.55, 4.73) were factors
significantly associated with undernutrition.
Conclusion: The findings showed that the magnitude of undernutrition among adult patients on
ART was substantially high. Being a middle age, short duration on ART, had not taken CPT,
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and presence of current opportunistic infection (OI) were factors significantly associated with
undernutrition.
