Epidemiology of Non-communicable Diseases and Risk factors in South African Adolescents and Youth Living with HIV: Implications for Integrated Prevention
Adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV) face an elevated NCD risk resulting from HIV, psychosocial challenges and the complications of antiretroviral therapy (ART).
We conducted a cross-sectional study in six primary care facilities to investigate the prevalence of common NCDs and risk factors among AYLHIV in Cape Town, South Africa between March 2019 and January 2020. We collected information on pre-existent and previously unidentified NCDs and risk factors and collected sociodemographic information of adolescents and youth enrolled for primary HIV care. Characteristics between sexes and age groups were compared using parametric or non-parametric statistical tests.
Three out of four participants were female, and the median age was 20.5 years (IQR 18.9–22.9). More than a quarter were not in education, employment or training (NEET) and 44% were multidimensionally poor. Our results show an existent burden of hypertension (5%) and central obesity (37%) as well as high levels of depression (43%) and psychological distress symptoms (44%). AYLHIV further self-reported high levels of household food insecurity (70%), low fruit and vegetable consumption, high fast-food and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, low nutritional knowledge and insufficient physical activity. Beyond the NCD risk attributable to HIV and ART, these multiple risk factors coupled with early initiation of high-risk behaviours like smoking, alcohol and drug use, further increase risk.
Our findings highlight the importance of integrated prevention with NCD risk screening as part of HIV care for AYLHIV and the need for early intervention on social, environmental and economic determinants of NCDs targeting adolescents and youth.
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Posted 22 Sep, 2020
On 24 Nov, 2020
Received 21 Nov, 2020
On 05 Nov, 2020
Received 05 Nov, 2020
Invitations sent on 04 Nov, 2020
On 04 Nov, 2020
On 15 Sep, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 10 Sep, 2020
Epidemiology of Non-communicable Diseases and Risk factors in South African Adolescents and Youth Living with HIV: Implications for Integrated Prevention
Posted 22 Sep, 2020
On 24 Nov, 2020
Received 21 Nov, 2020
On 05 Nov, 2020
Received 05 Nov, 2020
Invitations sent on 04 Nov, 2020
On 04 Nov, 2020
On 15 Sep, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 14 Sep, 2020
On 10 Sep, 2020
Adolescents and youth living with HIV (AYLHIV) face an elevated NCD risk resulting from HIV, psychosocial challenges and the complications of antiretroviral therapy (ART).
We conducted a cross-sectional study in six primary care facilities to investigate the prevalence of common NCDs and risk factors among AYLHIV in Cape Town, South Africa between March 2019 and January 2020. We collected information on pre-existent and previously unidentified NCDs and risk factors and collected sociodemographic information of adolescents and youth enrolled for primary HIV care. Characteristics between sexes and age groups were compared using parametric or non-parametric statistical tests.
Three out of four participants were female, and the median age was 20.5 years (IQR 18.9–22.9). More than a quarter were not in education, employment or training (NEET) and 44% were multidimensionally poor. Our results show an existent burden of hypertension (5%) and central obesity (37%) as well as high levels of depression (43%) and psychological distress symptoms (44%). AYLHIV further self-reported high levels of household food insecurity (70%), low fruit and vegetable consumption, high fast-food and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, low nutritional knowledge and insufficient physical activity. Beyond the NCD risk attributable to HIV and ART, these multiple risk factors coupled with early initiation of high-risk behaviours like smoking, alcohol and drug use, further increase risk.
Our findings highlight the importance of integrated prevention with NCD risk screening as part of HIV care for AYLHIV and the need for early intervention on social, environmental and economic determinants of NCDs targeting adolescents and youth.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7