Assessment of Satisfaction with Life among Elderly Patients Receiving HIV Care and Treatment in Mulago HIV Clinic: A Chronic Illness Quality of Life Model

Objective: This study aimed at assessing satisfaction with life among elderly HIV patients attending Mulago HIV Clinic. Methodology: A cross-sectional study design carried out among elderly people (>50 years old) attending Mulago HIV clinic, as stated by the WHO standard age cut-off of >50 years. A random selection of 353 elderly HIV patients was made. The study collected quantitative data to assess patient satisfaction with life, Illness related to discrimination, Barriers to healthcare and social services, and Physical wellbeing, social support and coping using quantitative data collection techniques. Interview discussions were harnessed to obtain patients’ opinions and perceptions and then results grouped into themes. EPIDATA and STATA 14.2 statistical softwares were used for statistical analysis. Results: The study showed that only variables that were significantly associated at multivariate level are, disagreeing that other patients are seen before you when you are first to arrive, which had an odds ratio of 2.87, disagreeing that your employer can never promote you which had an odds ratio of 6.87 compared to agreeing, not being sure whether friend or family member cannot share room/utensil/clothes with you reduced the odds of being satisfied by 95% when compared to agreeing and disagreeing that friend or family member blames you for not getting better with an odds ratio of 5.65 compared to agreeing. Conclusion: This study unearthed existing gaps in levels of satisfaction. These shortfalls in the service delivery can be addressed according to the following recommendations below: Create a quick way for elderly patients to see a clinician and give them priority, provide more work-related support awareness programs;Put more efforts towards counselling care takers or family members who help them to adhere or socialize with them.

Why is malaria associated with poverty? Findings from a cohort study in rural Uganda

Background:Malaria control and sustainable development are linked,but implementation of‘multisectoral’intervention is restricted by a limited understanding of the causal pathways between poverty and malaria.We investigated the relationships between socioeconomic position(SEP),potential determinants of SEP,and malaria in Nagongera,rural Uganda.Methods:Socioeconomic information was collected for 318 children aged six months to 10 years living in 100 households,who were followed for up to 36 months.Mosquito density was recorded using monthly light trap collections.Parasite prevalence was measured routinely every three months and malaria incidence determined by passive case detection.First,we evaluated the association between success in smallholder agriculture(the primary livelihood source)and SEP.Second,we explored socioeconomic risk factors for human biting rate(HBR),parasite prevalence and incidence of clinical malaria,and spatial clustering of socioeconomic variables.Third,we investigated the role of selected factors in mediating the association between SEP and malaria.Results:Relative agricultural success was associated with higher SEP.In turn,high SEP was associated with lower HBR(highest versus lowest wealth index tertile:Incidence Rate Ratio 0.71,95%confidence intervals(CI)0.54–0.93,P=0.01)and lower odds of malaria infection in children(highest versus lowest wealth index tertile:adjusted Odds Ratio 0.52,95%CI 0.35–0.78,P=0.001),but SEP was not associated with clinical malaria incidence.Mediation analysis suggested that part of the total effect of SEP on malaria infection risk was explained by house type(24.9%,95%CI 15.8–58.6%)and food security(18.6%,95%CI 11.6–48.3%);however,the assumptions of the mediation analysis may not have been fully met.Conclusion:Housing improvements and agricultural development interventions to reduce poverty merit further investigation as multisectoral interventions against malaria.Further interdisplinary research is needed to understand fully the complex pathways between poverty and malaria and to develop strategies for sustainable malaria control.