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. 2016 Dec;13(1):136-41.
doi: 10.1080/17290376.2016.1226942.

HIV status disclosure rate and reasons for non-disclosure among infected children and adolescents in Enugu, southeast Nigeria

A C Ubesie  1   2 , K K Iloh  3 , I J Emodi  4   5 , N S Ibeziako  6   7 , I N Obumneme-Anyim  8 , O N Iloh  9 , A C Ayuk  10 , C J Anikene  11 , J E Enemuo  12
Affiliations

HIV status disclosure rate and reasons for non-disclosure among infected children and adolescents in Enugu, southeast Nigeria

A C Ubesie et al. SAHARA J. 2016 Dec.

Abstract
in English, French

Aims: To determine the rate of HIV status disclosure, caregivers' reasons for non-disclosure, and factors influencing disclosure among a sample of HIV-infected children in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.

Methods: Data were collected prospectively via a questionnaire on HIV-infected children and their caregivers who visited the pediatric HIV clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2013. The data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 19 software.

Results: Caregivers of 107 children (age 5-16 years; mean 10.1 ± 3.2 years) were enrolled in the study. There were 53 (49.5%) boys and 54 (50.5%) girls. HIV status had been disclosed to 31 (29%) of them. The major reason for non-disclosure was the child being considered too young. Age (p < .001), age at HIV diagnosis (p < .001) and baseline CD4 count (p = .008) were seen as significant predictors of HIV disclosure.

Conclusions: There is a low rate of HIV disclosure to infected children, and it was found to be lower for younger children. We recommend improving efforts for disclosure counseling to caregivers in pediatric HIV clinics.

Objectifs: Déterminer le taux divulgation du statut VIH et les motifs de la non-divulgation fournis par le personnel soignant des enfants séropositifs à Enugu au Sud-Est du Nigéria. Méthodes: Les données ont été collectées de façon prospective auprès d'enfants infectés par le VIH et de leurs soignants au centre de prise en charge pédiatrique du VIH du Centre Hospitalier de l’Université du Nigéria entre le 1er juillet 2012 et le 30 juin 2013. L'analyse des données a été faite avec SPSS version19. Results: Les soignants de 107 enfants (âgés de 5 à 16 ans avec en moyenne 10.1 âgés de plus ou moins 3.2 ans) ont été inclus dans cette étude. Il y avait 53 (49.5%) hommes et 54 (50.5%) femmes. Le statut VIH a été divulgué à 31 (29%) des enfants. La principale raison de la non-divulgation était que l'enfant était “encore trop jeune”. L'âge (p < .001), l'âge au diagnostic du VIH (p < .001) et l’évaluation initiale du taux de CD4 (p = .008) étaient des prédicteurs significatifs de la divulgation du VIH. Conclusions: Il y a un faible taux de divulgation qui se révèle encore pire chez les jeunes enfants. Nous recommandons donc le renforcement du counseling sur la divulgation en faveur du personnel soignant des centres de prise en charge pédiatrique du VIH.

Keywords: AIDS; Enugu; HIV; Nigéria; SIDA; Southeast Nigeria; Sud-Est; VIH; caregivers; children; disclosure; enfants; pediatric; proactive; pédiatrie; rate; soignants; taux.

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