Prevalence And Risk Factors Associated With Malaria And HIV Co-Infection Among Adults Living With HIV Attending Margaret Marquart Catholic Hospital, Kpando.

Abstract

Background: Malaria and HIV represent the two most important public health problems of sub-Saharan Africa due to geographical overlap. Together, they are responsible for more than 4 million deaths a year. However. when HIV and malaria co-infect an individual, they drastically worsen the morbidity outcome for the person. Increasing the odds of mortality than as single infections. In Ghana, there is paucity of data on the prevalence of this co-infection. This study determined the prevalence of HIV-Malaria co-infection and its associated factors among adult persons living with HIV (PLHIV) attending Margret Marquart Catholic Hospital (MMCH) Kpando. Method: this is a cross-sectional design involving 200 participants drawn from the ART clinic of MMCH. Closed-ended interview questionnaire was used to obtain information from participants. The interview data were analysed using various statistical methods including cross tabulations and simple and multiple logistic regression.

Results: There were 200 participants in the study. Forty-four (22%) of them were males and 156 (78%) were females. Two, (1.00%) of the participants were pregnant at the time of the study. Ages of participants ranged between 20 to 65 years. Seventeen (8.50%) participants were between 20 to 30 years of age. Sixty-five (32.50%) participants were between 31 to 40 years of age. Eighty -one (40.50%) were between 41- 50 years and 37 (18.50%.) were above 50 years. The mean age of participants was 42.725 (SD- +_9.01).

Thirty.one (15.50%) participants were single while 67 (3050%), were married. Fifty-nine (29.50%). 26 (13.00%) and 17 (8.50%) participants were divorced. separated or widowed respectively. Forty-seven (23.50%) participants had no formal education. One hundred and twenty-four (62.00%) of participants attained primary level education. While 23(11.50%) had secondary level education. Only 6 (3.00%) of participants had tertiary level education. Twenty-four (l2.00%) of participants were unemployed or housewives. Forty-seven (23.50%) were employed in various positions in the public service. One hundred and twenty-seven (63.50%) of participants were self-employed whiles only 2 (1.00%) were employed in the private sector. Participants resided in various localities in the Kpando Municipality of the Volta region of Ghana with the highest number of 51 (25.50%) residing in Nkonya, others were residents in Ho, Hohoe, Trevi among others. The prevalence of HIV-Malaria co-infection at MMCH was found to be 41.00%. PLHVI who visit hospital more often, with interval less than a month have statistically significant lower odds (OR= 0.9. 95% OI=0.14-0.59. p=0.001) of the co-infected compared to PLHIV who visit hospital more often, with interval longer than one month.

Conclusion: there is a high prevalence rate of 41.00% HIV-Malaria co-infection among PLHIV attending MMCH. The findings suggest that there is reduced odds of malaria infection among PLHIV who visit hospital regularly. Thus, PLHIV must visit hospital regularly so as to be educated on preventing the co-infection.