Neuropsychological Functioning Among Paediatric Hiv Patients Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract

HIV/Aids as a retroviral infection exposes patients to both medical complications and psychosocial difficulties. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of neuropsychological and psychosocial problems experienced by paediatric HIV outpatients on highly active antiretroviral therapy at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra-Ghana. Forty-two participants comprising twenty HIV infected children on HAART and twenty-two healthy controls from a school based population matched on age, socioeconomic status and education were recruited. Using a battery of neuropsychological tests and measures of psychosocial functioning, data was collected at the Special Clinic, Korle-Bu teaching Hospital and the Sackey-Odoi Basic School. The results showed that children living with HIV infection had neurocognitive impairment in the domain of attention and information processing speed as compared to the healthy controls. Further, paediatric HIV patients had more problems with psychosocial functioning particularly in relation to stigma as compared to their healthy controls.