Marian Tabi1, Robert L Vogel. 1. School of Nursing, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, 30460, USA. mtabi@georgiasouthern.edu
Abstract
AIM: This paper reports an investigation of the effectiveness of nutritional counselling as an intervention to improve health outcomes for HIV-positive patients in Ghana, West Africa. BACKGROUND: In Ghana, like many developing countries, more patients with HIV and AIDS die because of their poor nutritional status than from the disease itself. With the lack of highly active anti-retroviral therapy for most HIV-infected patients in developing countries, nutritional counselling about high protein diet can be an essential intervention to reduce weight loss and improve weight gain and survival outcomes. METHOD: We used secondary-analytic data collected in summer 2003. Recorded monthly weights of HIV-positive patients were obtained and analysed for 25 people, whose ages ranged from 21 to 60 years, with a mean of 39.4 years (sd = 10.13). RESULTS: HIV-positive patients responded favourably to nutritional counselling about protein dietary intake as an intervention to improve weight gain. Repeated measures showed a statistically significant weight gain (P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: In the absence of anti-retroviral therapy, high protein nutrition can be an effective intervention for HIV-positive patients in developing countries. The health and nutritional status of the patients can be improved through nutritious food, allowing them to lead longer and better quality lives.
AIM: This paper reports an investigation of the effectiveness of nutritional counselling as an intervention to improve health outcomes for HIV-positivepatients in Ghana, West Africa. BACKGROUND: In Ghana, like many developing countries, more patients with HIV and AIDS die because of their poor nutritional status than from the disease itself. With the lack of highly active anti-retroviral therapy for most HIV-infectedpatients in developing countries, nutritional counselling about high protein diet can be an essential intervention to reduce weight loss and improve weight gain and survival outcomes. METHOD: We used secondary-analytic data collected in summer 2003. Recorded monthly weights of HIV-positivepatients were obtained and analysed for 25 people, whose ages ranged from 21 to 60 years, with a mean of 39.4 years (sd = 10.13). RESULTS:HIV-positivepatients responded favourably to nutritional counselling about protein dietary intake as an intervention to improve weight gain. Repeated measures showed a statistically significant weight gain (P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: In the absence of anti-retroviral therapy, high protein nutrition can be an effective intervention for HIV-positivepatients in developing countries. The health and nutritional status of the patients can be improved through nutritious food, allowing them to lead longer and better quality lives.
Authors: Aranka Anema; Wendy Zhang; Yingfeng Wu; Batya Elul; Sheri D Weiser; Robert S Hogg; Julio S G Montaner; Wafaa El Sadr; Denis Nash Journal: Public Health Nutr Date: 2011-08-02 Impact factor: 4.022
Authors: M Azabji-Kenfack; S Edie Dikosso; E G Loni; E A Onana; E Sobngwi; E Gbaguidi; A L Ngougni Kana; G Nguefack-Tsague; D Von der Weid; O Njoya; J Ngogang Journal: Nutr Metab Insights Date: 2011-05-02