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Effect of COVID-19 on older adults 50 years and above living with HIV in a less-developed country
Mathew, Nyashanu; Derrick, Amooti Lusota; Martin, Muddu; Scovia Nalugo, Mbalinda.
  • Mathew, Nyashanu; Department of Health & Allied Professions, School of Social Science, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom. Nottingham. GB
  • Derrick, Amooti Lusota; Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. Makerere. UG
  • Martin, Muddu; Makerere University Joint AIDS Program, Kampala, Uganda. Kampala. UG
  • Scovia Nalugo, Mbalinda; Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda. Makerere. UG
Afr. j. AIDS res. (Online) ; 21(2): 1-6, 28 Jul 2022. Tables
Article in English | AIM | ID: biblio-1391079
ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Globally, control measures have been communicated to reverse the COVID-19 pandemic. In Uganda, as soon as the first case of COVID-19 was identified, strict lockdown measures were enforced, including a ban on all public and private transport, night curfew, closure of schools, and suspension of religious and social gatherings and closure of non-essential shops and markets. These measures affected access to health services, which could have been worse for older people living with HIV (PLHIV). In this study, we explored how COVID-19 affected the health and social life of older PLHIV.

Methods:

We conducted a qualitative study in HIV clinics of two hospitals in Uganda. We completed 40 in-depth interviews with adults above 50 years who had lived with HIV for more than 10 years. The interviews explored the effect of COVID-19 on their health and social life during the lockdown. We analysed data thematically.

Results:

The overarching themes regarding the effects of COVID-19 on older adults living with HIV were fear and anxiety during the lockdown, lack of access to health care leading to missing HIV clinic appointments and not taking their ART medicines, financial burden, loss of loved ones, and effect on children's education. Some patients overcame health-related challenges by sending motorcycles to their health facilities with their identifying documents to get the medicines refilled. Some health care providers took the ART medicines to their patients' homes.

Conclusion:

The COVID-19 lockdown negatively affected the health and social well-being of older PLHIV. This calls for strategies to improve HIV care and treatment access during the lockdown to sustain the HIV program gains in this vulnerable population.
Subject(s)


Full text: Available Index: AIM (Africa) Main subject: Activities of Daily Living / Quarantine / Public-Private Sector Partnerships / COVID-19 Type of study: Qualitative research Language: English Journal: Afr. j. AIDS res. (Online) Year: 2022 Type: Article Institution/Affiliation country: Department of Health & Allied Professions, School of Social Science, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom/GB / Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda/UG / Makerere University Joint AIDS Program, Kampala, Uganda/UG

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Full text: Available Index: AIM (Africa) Main subject: Activities of Daily Living / Quarantine / Public-Private Sector Partnerships / COVID-19 Type of study: Qualitative research Language: English Journal: Afr. j. AIDS res. (Online) Year: 2022 Type: Article Institution/Affiliation country: Department of Health & Allied Professions, School of Social Science, Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom/GB / Department of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda/UG / Makerere University Joint AIDS Program, Kampala, Uganda/UG