TY - JOUR
T1 - Lived experiences of people living with HIV and hypertension or diabetes access to care in Ethiopia
T2 - A phenomenological study
AU - Badacho, Abebe Sorsa
AU - Mahomed, Ozayr Haroon
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2024/2/27
Y1 - 2024/2/27
N2 - Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to develop hypertension and diabetes than people without HIV. Previous studies have shown that HIV stigma, discrimination and exclusion make it difficult for PLWH to access care for hypertension and diabetes. Objectives This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes to access hypertension and diabetes care in southern Ethiopia. Design We conducted a qualitative study using a semistructured interview guide for an in-depth, in-person interview. Settings From 5 August to 25 September 2022, PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes were purposefully selected from five primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in the Wolaita zone of southern Ethiopia. Participants A total of 14 PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes who were receiving antiretroviral therapy from PHC were interviewed. Among them, 10 were women, and 4 were men. Methods In-person, in-depth interviews were conducted. Qualitative data analysis software (NVivo V.12) was used to assist with the data organisation, and Colaizzi's (1978) inductive thematic analyses were conducted to explore key concepts. Result This study yielded two main themes: Theme 1: barriers to accessing care as individual barriers to access (low awareness of non-communicable diseases, misperceptions, lack of health insurance and cost of treatment); healthcare system barriers (shortage of supplies, drugs and equipment; long wait times; lack of integrated services; absence of routine screening and lack of respect from providers); community barriers (lack of support from families, friends and the community) and stigma and discrimination access to hypertension and diabetes. Theme 2: accessibility facilitators (support from family, friends and organisations; health insurance coverage). Conclusion PLWH recommended that access to services can be improved by service integration, awareness-raising activities, no user fee charges for hypertension and diabetes care and routine screening.
AB - Background People living with HIV (PLWH) are more likely to develop hypertension and diabetes than people without HIV. Previous studies have shown that HIV stigma, discrimination and exclusion make it difficult for PLWH to access care for hypertension and diabetes. Objectives This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes to access hypertension and diabetes care in southern Ethiopia. Design We conducted a qualitative study using a semistructured interview guide for an in-depth, in-person interview. Settings From 5 August to 25 September 2022, PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes were purposefully selected from five primary healthcare (PHC) facilities in the Wolaita zone of southern Ethiopia. Participants A total of 14 PLWH with comorbid hypertension or diabetes who were receiving antiretroviral therapy from PHC were interviewed. Among them, 10 were women, and 4 were men. Methods In-person, in-depth interviews were conducted. Qualitative data analysis software (NVivo V.12) was used to assist with the data organisation, and Colaizzi's (1978) inductive thematic analyses were conducted to explore key concepts. Result This study yielded two main themes: Theme 1: barriers to accessing care as individual barriers to access (low awareness of non-communicable diseases, misperceptions, lack of health insurance and cost of treatment); healthcare system barriers (shortage of supplies, drugs and equipment; long wait times; lack of integrated services; absence of routine screening and lack of respect from providers); community barriers (lack of support from families, friends and the community) and stigma and discrimination access to hypertension and diabetes. Theme 2: accessibility facilitators (support from family, friends and organisations; health insurance coverage). Conclusion PLWH recommended that access to services can be improved by service integration, awareness-raising activities, no user fee charges for hypertension and diabetes care and routine screening.
KW - Blood Pressure
KW - Health Equity
KW - Health Services for the Aged
KW - Hypertension
KW - Patient-Centered Care
KW - Primary Health Care
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186418106
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078036
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078036
M3 - Article
C2 - 38417958
AN - SCOPUS:85186418106
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 14
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 2
ER -
