FACTORS AFFECTING HEMOGLOBIN LEVEL AMONG HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS TAKING HIGHLY ACTIVE RETROVIRAL THERAPY

Abstract

ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a global public
health issue. At the beginning of this century, Pakistan transitioned from a low prevalence to a
high risk and subsequently to a concentrated pandemic. Among the many adverse effects of the
illness, is a marked disturbance in the hematological indices, chief among which is the level of
hemoglobin (Hb). In addition to the disease, other factors too may be responsible for catalyzing
this change. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors affecting Hb level among HIV infected patients.
METHODOLGY: In this cross-sectional investigation, 254 HIV patients of either gender who
were at least 18 years old were included in the sample. After obtaining written informed consent,
information was entered onto a structured questionnaire that included questions about fundamental
bio data, socio-demographic information, medical history, conclusions drawn from a general
physical and systemic examination, and a baseline hematological examination. With the help of
MS Excel 365 and SPSS version 21.0, the data was examined. RESULTS: The sample's median
age was 34 years old (SD: 5). The majority of the sample was made up of middle-aged males from
rural backgrounds with a middle socioeconomic position. Anemia was present in 85.8% of the
sample overall, with the majority of those affected experiencing mild to moderate anemia and only
a small number dealing with severe anemia. CONCLUSION: After careful consideration,
genders, age, socioeconomic status and duration of illness were recognized as factors affecting the
Hb level among HIV infected patients.