This study assessed implementation status of collaborative TB/HIV services in Addis Ababa City Administration aiming to promote better implementation strategies. The study employed mixed research methods and was descriptive. The study design used both quantitative and qualitative data using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides, respectively. The study population for the quantitative design included 1,683 TB/HIV patients from 10 conveniently selected health facilities: Zewditu and Menelik Hospitals, health centres of Lideta, Yeka, Kazanchis, NifaSilk-Lafto-No1, Woreda-7, Kality, Bole and Gulele. All the patients who were on their follow-up cares during the data collection period were interviewed. Participants for qualitative design were 1,650 TB/HIV patients for short answered questions; 8 FGDs among patients; interview of 10 TB/HIV care facility coordinators/health workers and one regional TB/HIV care coordinator, all purposively selected. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS 15.0, while qualitative data were thematically analysed manually. Majority of HIV patients (92.8%) self-reported that they had been screened for TB; of which, 11.2% were diagnosed for active TB during their follow-up cares. Whereas, 87.1% of TB patients had been offered for HIV test; 79.8% tested; 20.2% tested positive. Knowledge on TB and HIV diseases, transmission and prevention was found to be low. However, participants appreciated the support of the healthcare delivery system in improving their health. Collaborative TB/HIV activities brought additional on-the-job training for healthcare workers; improved flow of logistics and re-arrangement of infrastructures of facilities. The study revealed that, implementation of collaborative TB/HIV activities in Addis Ababa need boosting. The study recommends the need for coordinated efforts of all stakeholders for improving implementation of collaborative TB/HIV care services, as identified by this study. The contribution of this study developed pocket-guide for healthcare workers on collaborative TB/HIV care services, which provides guidance in promoting better TB/HIV care / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: See full text / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sien volteks

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No disease in modern times has created as much fear and panic as HIV/AIDS - undoubtedly one of the most formidable public health problems facing South Africa today. Traditionally, HIV/AIDS has not been regarded as a workplace issue, except for "high-risk" professions such as surgeons, dentists and emergency medical technicians. The stark reality is that HIV/AIDS will have an impact on all sectors of society and all aspects of human activity throughout South Africa. Because of the nature of the spread of the disease, it hits predominantly sexually active people. These are the people that make up the workforce. It can therefore be expected that HIV/AIDS will impact directly on the patterns of employment in South Africa. Furthermore, the economic consequences of the epidemic will result in pressures on the South African economy, which again will influence employment. Apart from affecting the general population, HIV/AIDS will have a direct impact on businesses in various areas. HIV/AIDS will also have a significant impact at community level that will, in turn, impact on businesses. If business in South Africa is to survive, these impacts have to be managed so that productivity can be maintained and costs can be contained. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of HIV/AIDS on employment by examining the South African labour market. From the study, it is clear that South Africa is certain to experience severe consequences arising from the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even without taking the immense impact of HIV/AIDS into account, there are various problems facing the' South African labour market. Specific problems discussed are unemployment, low productivity and a shortage of skills. These are not the only problems associated with the South African labour market, but the extent of these problems is further exacerbated by the impact of HIV/AIDS. All sectors of the society need to be mobilised into action. This action must encompass both prevention of the spread of the disease, as well as caring for the sick and dying. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen ander siekte in die moderne tyd het al soveel vrees en paniek geskep as MIV/VIGS nie ongetwyfeld een van die mees formidabele gemeenskapsgesondheidsprobleme wat Suid-Afrika huidiglik in die gesig staar. Oorspronklik was MIV/VIGS slegs met die werksplek geassosieer in terme van "hoë-risiko" beroepe soos dokters, tandartse en nood mediese personeel. Die naakte waarheid is dat MIV/VIGS 'n impak sal hê op alle sektore en aspekte van die samelewing in Suid-Afrika. As gevolg van die aard van die verspreiding van die siekte, tref dit hoofsaaklik seksueel aktiewe persone. Hierdie persone is die lewensaar van die arbeidsmag. Dit kan dus verwag word dat MIV/VIGS 'n direkte impak op werkverskaffingspatrone in Suid-Afrika sal hê. Die ekonomiese gevolge van die epidemie sal verdere druk veroorsaak op die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie, wat op sy beurt werkverskaffing sal beïnvloed. Buiten die impak van MIV/VIGS op die algemene bevolking, sal die siekte ook in verskeie areas van die besigheidsektor 'n uitwerking hê. Verder sal MIV/VIGS 'n aansienlike impak op gemeenskapsvlak hê, wat op sy beurt weer 'n uitwerking sal hê op besighede. As besighede in Suid-Afrika wil oorleef, moet hierdie aanslae so bestuur word dat produktiwiteit gehandhaaf word en kostes onder beheer gehou word. Die oogmerk van hierdie studie is om die impak van MIV/VIGS op werkverskaffing te ondersoek deur na die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark te kyk. Van die studie is dit duidelik dat Suid-Afrika ernstige konsekwensies as gevolg van die MIV/VIGS epidemie kan verwag. Selfs sonder om die ontsaglike impak van MIV/VIGS in ag te neem, is daar verskeie probleme wat die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark in die gesig staar. Spesifieke probleme wat bespreek word is werkloosheid, lae produktiwiteit en 'n tekort aan gespesialiseerde vaardighede. Alhoewel hierdie nie die enigste probleme is wat met die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsmark geassosieer word nie, word die spesifieke probleme vererger deur die impak van MIV/VIGS. Wat vereis word is dat alle sektore van die samelewing moet oorgaan tot aksie. Hierdie aksie moet beide die voorkoming van die verspreiding van die siekte, sowel as die versorging van die siekes en sterwendes omvat.

Thesis (MScMedSc)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Chronic HIV-1 infection is characterized by extensive inflammation/immune activation and also by anaemia. Macrophages and neutrophils produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can cause damage to surrounding cells, including erythrocytes. Damaged erythrocytes may die by apoptosis (erythroptosis) or be tagged for clearance by monocytes/ macrophages. In this study we investigated HIV-1-associated anaemia and erythroptosis in asymptomatic, untreated HIV-1 infected individuals and how it relates to oxidative stress and immune activation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Chroniese MIV-1 infeksie word gekenmerk deur uitgebreide inflammasie/immuun aktivering en ook deur anemie. Makrofage en neutrofiele produseer reaktiewe suurstof spesies (ROS), wat kan skade aan omliggende selle, insluitend rooibloedselle veroorsaak. Beskadigde rooibloedselle kan sterf deur apoptose (erythroptosis) of gemerk vir klaring deur monosiete/makrofage. In hierdie studie het ons ondersoek MIV-1-verwante bloedarmoede en erythroptosis in asimptomatiese, onbehandelde MIV-1 besmette individue en hoe dit verband hou met oksidatiewe stres en immuun aktivering. / The Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF

<p>This study aimed to explore the gender imbalances that exist in access to education and participation in schooling of the female orphans and vulnerable children, and also how this relates to the continuing feminisation of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Zambia. The study was based on the premise that the girl child is disadvantaged in this area, and the HIV and AIDS pandemic in worsening the situation for female orphans and vulnerable children.</p>

<p>This study investigated the societal perception of refugee men as being a risk group, being polluted and the consequent risk of HIV infection they might face. It also determined the factors that could expose them to the risk of HIV infection while living in exile in South Africa.</p>

This study focuses on the impact of HIV/AIDS on women in Namibia. Namibia, with a population of only 1.7 million people, is ranked as the seventh highest country in the world in terms of HIV/AIDS infections. The percentage of women living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia accounts for 54% of the total of 68 196 people in the country living with the virus. Women are also diagnosed with the disease at a younger age (30) in comparison to their male counterparts (35 years). Desoite their needs, women living with HIV/AIDS bear a triple burden of caring for those living with HIV/AIDS, caring for themselves and coping with the responses to their infection. There are few focused intervention strategies to support and care for women living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia.

Las etapas iniciales de la infección por VIH se caracterizan por elevados niveles de ARN viral, que pueden estar contribuyendo significativamente a la transmisión del virus y al mantenimiento de la epidemia. Existe poca información sobre estas etapas precoces de la infección en zonas de África donde predomina el subtipo C del VIH. Este trabajo ha caracterizado la epidemiología y los parámetros inmuno-virológicos de las fases iniciales de la infección por VIH en una zona del sur de Mozambique La primera parte de este trabajo se enfocó en la identificación de infecciones agudas (AHI) en pacientes ambulatorios de una zona semi-rural del sur de Mozambique. En esta zona endémica de malaria, la población está habituada a acudir al hospital tras sentir síntomas febriles característicos de la malaria, pero también del síndrome retroviral agudo del VIH. Esta situación, presente en muchos países del sur de África, presenta una oportunidad de dirigir una búsqueda de casos de AHI hacia pacientes con síndrome febril. Usando esta estrategia, se describió una elevada prevalencia de AHI (3.3%) en los pacientes ambulatorios con síndrome febril. Estos pacientes mostraron elevados niveles de carga viral (CV) y de activación de las células T-CD8. En la segunda parte de este trabajo, se caracterizó la infección reciente por VIH, definida como los primeros 12 meses desde la infección. Se encontró una baja prevalencia de infecciones recientes por VIH (11.58%) en personas que acuden voluntariamente al centro de asesoramiento para VIH del hospital. Un grupo de pacientes identificados con infección reciente por VIH mostraron, como en el caso de los AHI, elevados niveles de carga viral por encima de 105 copias/ml de plasma que fueron mantenidos durante los 10 meses de seguimiento. Estos pacientes con elevados niveles de CV representarían un mayor riesgo de transmisión del VIH, señalando la importancia en la identificación de infecciones agudas y recientes para las estrategias de prevención del VIH. Los resultados de esta tesis reúnen información sobre la epidemiología de las fases iniciales de la infección por VIH en una zona de elevada prevalencia donde no había datos previos. Estos resultados contribuyen a la caracterización de las fases tempranas de la infección por VIH con la perspectiva de llevar a cabo intervenciones en las fases iniciales para mejorar el pronóstico del paciente y disminuir el riesgo de transmisión. Además apoyan la necesidad de más desarrollo de pruebas de diagnóstico rápido para la detección de las fases tempranas en condiciones locales.

Introduction. The demand for comprehensive Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) services is greater than the available supply, particularly for the provision of antiretroviral therapy. The resulting bottleneck in service delivery has considerable implications for people living with HIV and for resource management. Aim. The purpose of this research was to investigate loss-to-care and associated variables of adult HIV-infected people who were eligible for antiretroviral therapy, from July 2004 to December 2007 at Sinikithemba HIV Clinic in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Methods. An observational descriptive and analytic cohort study design was used. Secondary data sourced from Sinikithemba were collated. All HIV-infected adults, 15 years and older when registered on the TrakCare database, who were eligible for antiretroviral therapy were included in the study. Data were extracted to describe the preparation of HIV infected adults who were eligible for antiretroviral therapy. Variables were first summarised and described before the confirmatory analytic steps were taken to measure associations at the p<0.05 significance level. Results. Of the 10 424 HIV-infected adults registered at Sinikithemba, 5470 (52%) were eligible for antiretroviral therapy from July 2004 to December 2007 and 2979 (54%) of these were lost to care prior to initiating antiretroviral therapy. Six exposure variables were significantly associated with this loss-to-care, (gender, baseline CD4 count, pre-eligibility care, antiretroviral therapy delay, preparation step and waiting time). These variables remained significantly associated with loss-to-care even after controlling for confounding with logistic regression. Discussion and Recommendations. With the rapid scale-up of antiretroviral therapy programmes, the outcome of those people living with HIV lost to care before commencing therapy have not been adequately documented. This large cohort enrolled over three-and-a-half years demonstrates that the loss-to-care prior to initiation of antiretroviral therapy is a significant problem that needs to be further investigated. Focusing retention strategies at the pre-antiretroviral therapy stage of HIV care will improve overall programme outcomes. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

This study focuses on the impact of HIV/AIDS on women in Namibia. Namibia, with a population of only 1.7 million people, is ranked as the seventh highest country in the world in terms of HIV/AIDS infections. The percentage of women living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia accounts for 54% of the total of 68 196 people in the country living with the virus. Women are also diagnosed with the disease at a younger age (30) in comparison to their male counterparts (35 years). Desoite their needs, women living with HIV/AIDS bear a triple burden of caring for those living with HIV/AIDS, caring for themselves and coping with the responses to their infection. There are few focused intervention strategies to support and care for women living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia.